CDMA iPhones Headed to India?

[MacRumors]

As we noted last wek, Apple's plans for a CDMA-based iPhone aren't limited to the United States, as the company is apparently also in talks with China Telecom to bring the new iPhone to that carrier as well.

The CDMA news expands even further today with a report from The Wall Street Journal claiming that Apple is also in talks to bring the iPhone to two Indian carriers that operate their networks on the technology standard.

The talks with Reliance Communications Ltd. and Tata Teleservices Ltd. -- which offer mobile phone services based on CDMA technology -- come soon after news that Apple is making a version of its iPhone that Verizon Wireless will sell early next year in the U.S. Verizon Wireless offers mobile phone services based on CDMA technology.

"Tata has been in talks with them [Apple] for four to five months now," said one person familiar with the negotiations.

"This [talks] has been going on as India is a big market for CDMA. It [any launch] should benefit both parties," the second person said.

According to the report, no information on a timeframe for an announcement is yet known.

India offers about 135 million users of CDMA-based phones, 20% of the country's mobile phone user base. Smartphone use remains low, however, although it is growing rapidly. According to data cited in the report, Nokia was responsible for 71% of the Indian smartphone market in the first half of 2010, with Apple's existing presence in the country representing less than 1% of the market, or fewer than 25,000 iPhones sold.

Pricing has been an obstacle for Apple when it comes to the iPhone, where a lack of carrier subsidies sees the cheapest iPhone available for about $670. The iPhone 4 is also not yet available in India, where Apple has partnered with Airtel and Vodafone to offer service on older models for the past two years.

Article Link: CDMA iPhones Headed to India?

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

"As we noted last wek"...

Remind me, how do Internet weks convert to real world time units?

 

[NebulaClash]

"As we noted last wek"...

Remind me, how do Internet weks convert to real world time units?

Each Internet wek is made up of 7 dys.

 

[bradl]

Oh my holy stars!

Weren't these the same guys that stated that these phones are going to Verizon, with the New York Times confirming it?

You mean that both newspapers got the story wrong! How.... unfathomable!!!

How could anybody have missed this?



(yet another Verizon rumour on its way to being debunked.)

BL.

 

[Debojyoti Das]

Hey let me comment a bit. I am an Indian by birth and stay.
The players Reliance and Tata Teleservice, are the bottom-most players in India. They haven't even got normal GSM Subscribers, leave alone for iPhone. And about Reliance, all Indians know that their name is an irony and by far the most cheat company in India. Any consumer complain website will prove it. So whatever they do, atleast Reliance will suck. And we must not forget India is a poor country with >33% of the 120 Crore people below poverty level. iPhone 3G was an official failure with its high tariff rate and costing the salary of a month of an average Indian. So even the moneyed people will only buy from Vodafone or AirTel as they don't Cheat.

What I think that it is a total rumor nothing else. More than 15 Crore Indians can't even afford 2 square meals a day, leave alone the iPhone.

 

[macintologist]

Can a CDMA iPhone be used on multiple networks?

No

CDMA iPhones are tied in the HARDWARE to a particular network. At least the GSM iPhone now can be unlocked and SIM cards swapped.

CDMA iPhone = worthless. PLEASE APPLE DONT MAKE ONE

 

[pmz]

Oh it's going to be HILARIOUS when the iPhone was never being built for Verizon, and never will.

 

[Rocketman]

I wonder how long it will take Apple to saturate initial CDMA iPhone demand in India and China so they have a few left over for the USA? I am guessing 6 months. About the time it will take AT&T to deploy LTE a reasonable amount.

Rocketman

 

[Funkatronic]

This seems unlikely. As a poster said above, Reliance and Tata cater to the masses, and unless they have a pricing strategy similar to AT&T, there isnt much these operators will gain with a CDMA iPhone.

Whats worth mentioning though is, the GSM iPhone launch here was a horrible disaster, what with Airtel and Vodafone (The two exclusive iPhone carriers) selling carrier locked 3G/3GS' at a full retail (unlocked) price.

Which makes me wonder how many people would might be lured by a much lower price and a 2 year contract with the CDMA operator, just to get their mitts on a shiny new iToy.

 

[icyfire]

This seems unlikely. As a poster said above, Reliance and Tata cater to the masses, and unless they have a pricing strategy similar to AT&T, there isnt much these operators will gain with a CDMA iPhone.

Whats worth mentioning though is, the GSM iPhone launch here was a horrible disaster, what with Airtel and Vodafone (The two exclusive iPhone carriers) selling carrier locked 3G/3GS' at a full retail (unlocked) price.

Which makes me wonder how many people would might be lured by a much lower price and a 2 year contract with the CDMA operator, just to get their mitts on a shiny new iToy.

I think the idea here is that if apple is going to release a cdma iphone in the us they might as well push it out to other cdma carriers for production purposes (more phones sold, cheaper production costs)

 

[Tyre]

Wow

I think so that apple should extend this technology to the other countries specially in third world countries because CMDA support is widely available in that countries. If someone knew the $100 phone was also very product and till now so these technological companies should greatly encouraged from these kinds of examples. Thanks Apple for supporting these countries.

One thing Apple should also keep in mind that people in those countries has some craze about new products and technologies and extra benefit will be earned. Wish you best of luck Apple hopefully you will find positive response from these countries.

This just doesn't make sense. Let's face it, and hold your cries of elitism. The iPhone is not made for everyone. It costs hundreds of dollars up front plus about a thousand a year (depending on plan/country obviously.) That is not your formula for a third world country technology.

Let's start with overpopulation, then move to Apple products.

 

[Epsilon88]

I don't think the iPhone would ever really take off in India. Good cellphones are dirt cheap there already, and the iPhone isn't really meant for an extremely hot, dusty and dirty environment (I used to live in India).

 

[coolduds12]

iPhone in India

I don't think the iPhone would ever really take off in India. Good cellphones are dirt cheap there already, and the iPhone isn't really meant for an extremely hot, dusty and dirty environment (I used to live in India).

Apple is a niche brand and iPhone is a high end product. Although people may term India to be poor, dusty and hot. Whats notable is that this is the fastest growing mobile market in the world and the second largest after china in total number of connections. India would roll out 3G by end of this year which is expected to open up new opportunities.

Regarding iPhone sales, what surprises me is the phone is sold at $200 in US (with a subscriber lock for 2 years) while in India the iPhone 3GS 16GB costs more that $650+ (with a subscriber lock). iPhone 4 sells online at a whopping $1000+ tag. Apple should seriously look into this issue. Although I understand AT&T subsidises the marked price but Apple can pursue its Indian distributors (Airtel & Vodafone) to do the same, may be even with EMI for two years. But how does anyone expect to buy an iPhone at $650, while on the other hand we have Nokia N97 selling for $550, HTC Legend for about the same price and Samsung galaxy at $625. All of this without any kind of lock or binding subscriptions.

Why then should someone opt for an iPhone? I urge Apple to please look into this.

(Prices are converted to USD at a rate of 44.5 INR to 1 USD)

 

[fleming5]

Hi,
If you know please tell me what about iphones.


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