Apple in Talks with Thailand's AIS over iPhone

[MacRumors]

Reuters reports that Apple is in talks with Thailand's Advanced Info Service about selling the iPhone in Thailand.

"We are negotiating on details, including a revenue sharing standard. Apple needs a local operator to promote iPhone," Prattana Leelapanang, assistant vice president for AIS's wireless business marketing, told Reuters.

The news comes after reports of Apple and China Mobile terminating talks over revenue sharing terms.

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[samh004]

China Mobile doesn't know what it's missing out on, but I can't imagine there's a terribly big market in Thailand. I suppose there are lots of expats.

[munkle]

The locals use mobile phones too

In fact iPhones are pretty popular already and pretty easy to buy, all jailbroken of course.

[colemanj4]

Forget the Asian markets, get Canada first. Apple is going to have to give something up though, because Rogers is getting a tonne of Jailbroken iPhones already that are paying the extortionate data rates.

[yanks4sure]

Does Thailand have EDGE at all or is it all 3G?
Please Let Me Know ASAP...

Thanx

[tomguy78]

This is good news for Thailand. I just came from Bangkok about 1 week ago and must say that the market looks good for the iPhone. In a market where people spend on average 300 to 500 US Dollars on a cell phone, the 399 price of the iPhone doesn't seem to unreasonable.

There seems to be a lot of iPhone users now in Bangkok also. All of them jailbroken though. So the introduction of the iPhone is good for Thailand.

As for the connection speeds, Bangkok uses EDGE. There is no 3G yet in Thailand so I'm sure the 3G phone won't be entering the market.

I am just glad that maybe Apple will release Thai support on the iPhone. I would like to be able to display Thai Fonts without hacking the phone.

[m005e]

I hope this means Australia is next in line! Everyone over here has been waiting and waiting for it!

[samab]

If it is like the case of "negotiations" done by the Chinese carriers --- then all the Thai carrier did was sent a single lowly paid intern on minimum wage to Apple.

[ryanwarsaw]

I have only ever seen an iPhone in the wild that wasn't mine in Thailand. Bangkok seems to be the easiest place in the world to get an unlocked phone at the moment. I am not sure that Apple launching it there will change anything as people there already have it if they want it.

I wonder how many have already been sold out of Bangkok. This would be an interesting figure to see. Everyone sold so far is a minus for potential sales (though perhaps not if the exposure makes people want one) and is a cost of Apple being way too late to bring it to market.

Currently the phone costs around 25,000 baht or $806 in the mall. I just can't see pricing it a couple hundred less and locking the average Thai consumer into a ridiculously expensive contract as working there.

I would imagine that many of the stores selling iPhones in Bangkok benefit from the bar girl/boy industry and couldn't see many other people buying them. This is taking into account that without the foreign aid that happens in Silom and other places around Bangkok your average Thai makes around 10,000 baht a month and in many cases less.

As a luxury item anybody with the cash and desire already has one. Nobody is afraid to hack one there as everything is pirated already. (try finding somebody running a genuine copy of windows)

It is the latest status symbol and something else will take it's place. IMO if they launch it legit in the land of smiles at this point is irrelevant to the consumer. It seems like it is too little too late, the hype has worn off.

Don't get me wrong, if they launch it and give the choice of a contract that would be great. I just don't think it really matters unless they can keep the latest phones from being hacked and unlocked.

[View]

Originally Posted by yanks4sure

Does Thailand have EDGE at all or is it all 3G?
Please Let Me Know ASAP...

Thanx

EDGE only. no 3G for GSM providers in Thailand.

[infernohellion]

I just can't imagine how are they going to split up the revenue. As the Thai mobile phone companies are charging the least amount of money in the whole world. (It costs only 1 Baht per minute (3 cents) and they stopped charging you if you make calls longer than 7 minutes so basically a single call wouldn't go more expensive than 21 cents)

[View]

Originally Posted by infernohellion

I just can't imagine how are they going to split up the revenue. As the Thai mobile phone companies are charging the least amount of money in the whole world. (It costs only 1 Baht per minute (3 cents) and they stopped charging you if you make calls longer than 7 minutes so basically a single call wouldn't go more expensive than 21 cents)

Yea, that's why I love using cell phones in Thailand!

[sananda]

really? i think everyone who wants one has probably already got one in thailand; they were available at many many places when i was last there in november. i can't see that there will be many more able to afford it.

[onenil]

Hi all,

How easy are Iphones to obtain in Thailand?

I am heading to Phuket on Feb 4th for a holiday and might think about getting one.. Anyone see any issues with getting one and using it in Australia?

Most ones currently in use in Australia are from the U.S. anyway? Whats the difference.

On a side note - does anyone know if Replacement Powerbook Screens would be cheaper / available there? I have a broken 17" powerbook in need of a new screen.

[infernohellion]

Originally Posted by onenil

Hi all,

How easy are Iphones to obtain in Thailand?

I am heading to Phuket on Feb 4th for a holiday and might think about getting one.. Anyone see any issues with getting one and using it in Australia?

Most ones currently in use in Australia are from the U.S. anyway? Whats the difference.

On a side note - does anyone know if Replacement Powerbook Screens would be cheaper / available there? I have a broken 17" powerbook in need of a new screen.

It's going to be hard to find one in Phuket. Most of the iPhones in Thailand are being sold on 4th floor of MBK shopping mall in Bangkok. All of them are the U.S. versions.

I had been using it with Optus Prepaid and it worked just fine. (But well, I hate the way companies in Australia charge though. Especially for EDGE it was incredibly expensive when I was in Melbourne.)

However, you must tell the shop that you don't want Thai font or keyboard on the phone.

Replacement for the 17" PowerBook screen will NOT be cheaper than in Australia. This is what I'm so sure of.

[BKKbill]

About 90% of phones in Thailand are prepaid and one Baht per minute to a max of seven minutes where is the profit for apple. As said before 4th floor of MBK or Pantip plaza.

[sananda]

Originally Posted by onenil

On a side note - does anyone know if Replacement Powerbook Screens would be cheaper / available there? I have a broken 17" powerbook in need of a new screen.

i broke my ibook screen when i was living in thailand. it wasn't any cheaper to have to replaced there rather than in the uk.

[onenil]

Originally Posted by sananda

i broke my ibook screen when i was living in thailand. it wasn't any cheaper to have to replaced there rather than in the uk.

Damn, thanks anyway all!

Looks like, ill be holding out abit longer for my new MBP

[tenhead]

I read that Thailand , especially AIS will have 3G.

[tomguy78]

Originally Posted by tenhead

I read that Thailand , especially AIS will have 3G.

They are working on implementing 3G but I doubt we'll see it anytime soon.

[cleanup]

Wow, the market in China is huge. I've seen some iPhones in Shanghai, but I'm guessing China Mobile refused to charge too much for data (I don't think data is terribly expensive in China... my father pays about $50 a month for unlimited) and Apple backed out?

[infernohellion]

Originally Posted by cleanup

Wow, the market in China is huge. I've seen some iPhones in Shanghai, but I'm guessing China Mobile refused to charge too much for data (I don't think data is terribly expensive in China... my father pays about $50 a month for unlimited) and Apple backed out?

Unlimited Data in Thailand is usually around $10-20 a month

Well, about 3G in Thailand, all the mobile operators in the country are ready to provide 3G for about 3 years now. The only problem is that the government doesn't allow them to do so. Worse, there was a coup, so basically the interim government couldn't make much decision anyway. Now, the new government is just forming. So it's gonna take about a year or two for 3G to be reality.

[veeco3110]

everytime i read these things in regards to asia and what not i know the 3g is right around the corner...though i wont buy one haha

[sammich]

Originally Posted by m005e

I hope this means Australia is next in line! Everyone over here has been waiting and waiting for it!

Saw this article a few days ago. Thankfully Apple hasn't forgotten us.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/o...e#contentSwap1

Although when I read that (given the exchange rate) the UK price plans start at AUD$100, it put a dent into my plan of getting one for a while.

Originally Posted by infernohellion

I had been using it with Optus Prepaid and it worked just fine. (But well, I hate the way companies in Australia charge though. Especially for EDGE it was incredibly expensive when I was in Melbourne.)

Australia has always had inflated prices on data connections. Heck look at Telstra's ADSL and Cable plans, then compare them to TPG or iiNet (no links sorry, i'm on dialup atm)

Thank goodness for 3 and Virgin (basically carriers other than Telstra and Optus). Prices are starting to come down, I don't know how anyone other than business users would be able to use such a net dependant device in Australia even a few months ago.

Also: what would be fantastic is if a new iPhone could use 3.5G/Telstra's NextG network. Anyone know of the power consumption of that vs. plain 3G? Considering that Telstra already have a phone that uses 9 mbit, just imagine how fast a Youtube vid would load, or trailers, anything...

[terraforce]

The monks in Thailand will take on the iPhone for sure - it's a Guru thing.