Apple’s iconic iPhone 3GS to enter Indian market
20 Mar 2010
Apple's latest version of its smartphone, the iPhone 3GS, which sold over a million units in the first three days of its launch in June 2009, is set to make a debut soon in India through local cellular operators (See: Mac, iPhone sales drive Apple's $1.23-billion Q3 profits).
As the Indian government gears up to auction the high speed 3G spectrum to cellular companies in the coming weeks, cellular operators are vying to bundle the iPhone 3GS as part of a packaged scheme to their customers.
Bharti Airtel, the largest cellular service provider in India said yesterday that it had reached an agreement with Apple to sell its iPhone 3GS in India.
Vodafone Essar, Reliance Communications and Aircel are reported to be interested in tying up with Apple to sell the iPhone 3GS as a package to their customers.
With the 3G spectrum auction and announcement of the winners expected to take approximately two months, cellular operators will be able to offer the 3G services by September.
Currently, only state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam offer the 3G services since both companies were given the allotment on a preferential basis.