iPhone turns sour for Apple in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Despite repeated warnings from Apple Inc. against unauthorized unlocking of iPhones, the Indian consumers are relishing the taste of the new gadget, which turns sour for Apple.

After the launch of the much-awaited iPhone in the US in July this year, Apple had brought much disappointment to the mobile subscribers when it was launched on the AT&T network.

For the high growing Indian telecom market, it was a long wait and the consumers were not ready to wait till the official launch.

The little device is available for the curious Indian consumers on online shopping sites. Facilitating the consumers, the gadget is available along with the unlocking software. Popular e-shopping sites like Rediff shopping, Indiatimes shopping and eBay India are attracting the attention of the mobile users.

These sites have gone ahead offering unlocking software for the Apple iPhone. eBay is offering unlocking software for the iPhone users, ‘for all carriers’. Rediff shopping is offering ‘one month vendor carry-in repair warranty on the handset.’

The iPhone is being offered on EMI for the customers. On the shopping site the 8GB iPhone is available at around Rs. 35,000.

eBay India offers 8GB iPhone for Rs 37,000. However, they are also offering the iPhone unlocking software for Rs 50 for its customers.

With the recent flood of unauthorized iPhones in the markets globally, Apple has issued a statement warning consumers to buy iPhones from the open market other than the AT&T network. The company warned the consumers against make unauthorized modifications to the software on iPhones, which will violate the iPhone software license agreement and leave the warranty void.

There were reports in the media about the availability of iPhone in the grey market. In Delhi the iPhone is available in the most popular grey market, Gafar Market in Karol Bagh.

The vendors at the Gafar Market are selling unlocked iPhones, which has received enthusiastic response from geeks.