News update!!!!

Channel 5 news cited that Singtel has clinched the deal with Apple to bring in iPhone to Singapore in Sep 2008!!!!

Malaysia boleh?!!

S$650.. didn't say if 8gb or 16gb

if you look closely at the subtitle during the beginning of the youtube video, it says " September by Singtel". When I first watched the news, it didn't have the "more or less" part. That must have been added on the later broadcast. lol

As for the Apple jobs, type 'iphone planner' and you will find the result... which concluded their search engine sux. However, if you try to search Singapore in country, it is not listed.. either it has been taken up or scrapped.

I'm not trying to misguide anyone but I'm so thrilled when I first heard and wanted to share it with all you guys

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Added on March 19, 2008, 11:49 pmTitle : Industry sources say SingTel will launch iPhone in S'pore in Sep
By : Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia
Date : 19 Mar 2008 2313 hrs (GMT + 8hrs)

SINGAPORE: Industry sources said Apple's iPhone will be launched in Singapore by SingTel this September, but the telco has neither confirmed nor denied this.

With its cool functions and design, the iPhone has got millions of American admirers hooked since its debut in June 2007.

Even before its official launch in Singapore, retailers estimated that gadget fans here have snapped up about 10,000 iPhones through different avenues, with some paying over S$1,000 to be the first in Singapore to own the device.

More people will soon be able to get their hands on the iPhone as a local vendor, who works closely with Apple associates in the US, revealed that "SingTel has more or less sealed the deal". The vendor refused to be named.

Observers said such a deal is consistent with Apple's track record of working with top mobile operators.

They said, however, it is unlikely SingTel will agree on a revenue-sharing model with Apple on phone sales, as it is currently done in Europe and the US.

Aloysius Choong, research manager for IDC Asia/Pacific, said: "We've heard an Apple executive coming out to say that they don't necessarily need to go with that model. So it could be, and it will be in the long term, (going) back to a more familiar relationship where you distribute through the operators, you get a subsidy through the operators."

The iPhone that is making its way in Singapore is likely to be the latest model.

Zachary Wong, retail operations manager of iShop, said: "You never expect what Apple is able to pull out. The 3G model could be in Singapore as well. 3G is the industry platform for this part of the world, so I say the demand for the newer model of the phone will be much, much higher."

Retailers expect the phone to be priced around S$690.

Industry players said there will be no shortage of takers.

"When it first started in late June 2007, the demand was extremely high. It tampered down a little bit but demand is still very strong," said Mr Wong.

Mr Choong agreed: "Consumers are looking for... design and brand. And these two are really what the iPhone has in place. And not just that, one great thing about the iPhone is that it goes beyond the usual business of tech early adopters."

"I think you're going to see demand coming from various segments, from the business users to the moms and pops," he added.

Apple has said it plans to sell 10 million units of iPhone in Asia this year. - CNA/ac

This post has been edited by mybargain: Mar 19 2008, 11:49 PM

Applaud for stringfellow's detailed analysis I admit that I'm skeptical about the "news". But never say never - history told us that Apple won't speak a word about product launch until the actual day. And it's the success mix behind Apple's hype. For the same reason, all Apple resellers whom found breaching the NDA will say bye-bye to their franchise. I guess that's why the so-called "local vendor" wants to remain hush-hush.

China has bigger plan now than iPhone - Olympic 2008 in Aug. Telcos are busy trying to promote their pre-pay subscriptions and less bothered to really sit down to discuss the meticulous contractual details. They have time and chips to wait out the deal but Apple can't. Given the continuing pressure from stock analysts whether Apple will pass the mark of 10 million iPhones sales in 2008 which they claimed, the current market is near to saturation, to cross the hurdle, they have to expand to new markets - and where else than Asia - or drop the price further to target the next lower market segment (they already did so in sep 07 by cutting iphone 8gb by 200usd which left many early adopters seething - they won't repeat the same strategy so soon)

Singapore, though tiny, has a higher mobile penetration of 125% than most would expect. Total mobile subscription based on Q1 2008 statistics amounted to 5.7 millions. Post-pay subscriptions (2G+3G) are about 3 millions. If priced at $690, it is not hard to capture 30% of the market, noting smartphones on sale now have a higher price-tag. 1 million iPhone sale is not small matter to Apple, considering Europe only contributed only 1 million sales. Jobs claimed that they are already halfway to their 10 million target... 1 million sales to their next 5 million milestone sounds like a good deal to me.

Statistics cited from http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20080212114723.aspx

The role of purchaser is not simply to buy iPhones - he/she forecasts the market demand-supply and proposes the most effective market distribution channel to maximize profits. The job offer is an indication that Apple has taken one step forward to making its presence in Pacific Rim (Singapore is the Apple HQ for PacRim) and wants to do their own assessment to match up with what the telco would claim.

Singtel website, http://home.singtel.com/about_singtel/glob...investments.asp, reports the groups' foreign investments includes:

Advanced Info Service,Thailand,21.4%
APT Satellite,Hong Kong,20.3%
Bharti Group,India,30.5%
Globe Telecom,The Philippines,44.5%
Pacific Bangladesh Telecom,Bangladesh,45.0%
Telkomsel,Indonesia,35.0%
Warid Telecom,Pakistan,30.0%
Optus,Australia,(wholly owned by Singtel)

Singtel claimed that this represents a subscriber base of 136 millions. This is the largest mobile customer base in Asia outside of China. Without a doubt, Singtel is using a multi-nation launch as their trump card on the negotiation table. Like my mom used to told me, "it's difficult to break one group of chopsticks that are tied together" hahaha

Also, there is a hidden agenda for Singapore government to become the first country in Asia to launch iPhone. I won't be surprised that the deal will be heavily subsidized to seal it. Look at F1 first night race, first Youth Olympics, Singapore is trying to market itself on the international scene. tsk tsk Kaisuism

The credibility of the news is not entirely questionable. Well, no one can say for sure if iPhone is or not coming to Singapore. The question is more of if you can wait to that day to come. Honestly speaking, why wait if you have friend or travelling to US, just ask them to buy one for you. The locked version of iPhone is piece of junk to me... without jailbreak, it's worthless. It's the open-source community that writes cool apps for iphone that make it a beauty. Appstore, to be released by upcoming firmware 2.0, will never take over the Installer, looking at the way how Apple reject SDK applicants unless they are backed by prestigious company. And the recent news, that they are blocking app to run in background unless signed by Apple. This is just not going to work - I'm waiting for hacker community's SDK rather.

This post has been edited by mybargain: Mar 20 2008, 02:29 PM

Sad but true, legitimate iPhone in Malaysia is a bit far-fetched. At least, if iphone launched in Singapore, we will have easier access than to fly to US. All parallel importers will agree with me.

Things are getting more crystalized...

Singtel (Optus) has signed the deal with Apple. It won't be long before iPhone will start surfacing in Singapore

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...B00086420080512