Unconfirmed Rumors: iPhone in UAE in April

[Magnus]

Earlier today I had a chat with a person working in media in the UAE. This person said they had been told, from various sources, that the iPhone will be introduced in the Emirates in April. It would be tied to just one of the telecomm companies here, so either Eitsalat or Du.

This is highly speculative and of course unconfirmed. But we can hope, right?

Update: Perhaps there is some relation to the other countries reportedly coming on board with the iPhone soon: Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, Austria, and Netherlands. Supposedly this will all be announced at the March 6 event. Out of these, Ireland is confirmed for March 14 launch.

[Superglue]

If its true, what would happen to all those unlock iPhones tjat are widely being used in the UAE, I wonder... Would Etisalat and/or Du network still work on them or what

[Magnus]

If its true, what would happen to all those unlock iPhones tjat are widely being used in the UAE, I wonder... Would Etisalat and/or Du network still work on them or what

Not sure anyone knows. But since unlocked iPhone works in places where the iPhone is official too, like the US, I don't see why they wouldn't work here even after it's launched here.

[Zaid Al Hilali]

I hope it is true so we can have a better Arabic support for it, as Ettisalat and Du may push the service for native users.

[ultrablue662]

The iPhone may show up in the region in April, but the UAE government (TRA is it?) has said (at least twice that I recall, once it was posted on this site) that they would NOT allow a phone to be locked to a single carrier.

So if the iPhone is coming in April it will be unlocked.

[fangpyre]

I think Ultra is right.
But this may confirm that it may happen like he said it would.
Apple COO says it's not married to iPhone exclusivity, still on track to sell 10m this year - Engadget

[Infiniteloop]

i personally will not buy it from etisalat even if they release it, i mean look at it this way, they will sell it and force you to buy a subscription for a very high price just as AT&T did, i say about 200 AED a month ??
HACK ftw

[Magnus]

i personally will not buy it from etisalat even if they release it, i mean look at it this way, they will sell it and force you to buy a subscription for a very high price just as AT&T did, i say about 200 AED a month ??
HACK ftw

If 200/m gets me unlimited data on iPhone, I don't mind.

[Infiniteloop]

If 200/m gets me unlimited data on iPhone, I don't mind.

dont quote me for prices, i am no insider but i estimated the value..
i doubt it will be anything people will consider cheap since etisalat has to pay alot of money to apple for them to be able to release the phone..

[dandantheitman]

i personally will not buy it from etisalat even if they release it, i mean look at it this way, they will sell it and force you to buy a subscription for a very high price just as AT&T did, i say about 200 AED a month ??
HACK ftw

I wouldn't call AT&Ts pricing for the phone services high. In fact they are cheaper than a comparable blackberry service plan or an unlimited data plan for another smart phone.

Dan