iPhone Risk: India Impending?

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Singapore, the Netherlands, and Mexico, and Australia, watch out! Apple Insider is reporting that India has joined the fray for next iPhone launch.

A quick check of the battleground shows:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
EuropeNorth Am.South AmAsiaAfricaOceaniaAntarctica
5101?000

The rumor is sourced to Indian retail connections with an early September launch data tied in to Vodafone as the exclusive carrier. Pricing may be a steep 27,200 to 28,000 Rupees ($680 to $700) for an 8GB model. (With the beefier 16GB delayed until mid-2009 to "accommodate demand" ?!.

Without a substantial retail presence, Apple may rely on local retailer Reliance Digital to open semi-official iStores.

So the game is heating up! Will India get an early edge? Will one of the other pre-rumored countries still get there first? Or will a surprise entrant swoop in and win it all? Who's getting the next iPhone? What do you think?

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.