The king is dead. Long live the king!
Apple launches the third-generation iPhone 3G S, but this device faces tougher competition than ever before.
The ‘S’ we are told stands for ‘speed’ and you can cut, copy, paste and even send a multimedia message from this phone. The camera has been improved (to a measly 3-megapixels) and the software upgraded (also for older users of legal iPhones). Sadly, there are no indications of when or if the iPhone 3G S will be launched in India as yet, but expect it to be pricey.
If Apple’s “commitment-free” pricing is any indication, the iPhone 3G S will be priced between Rs 33,000 and Rs 37,000 depending on capacity. As for older iPhone 3G devices becoming cheaper (in the Rs 23,000-27,000 range), neither Apple nor iPhone operators in India (Airtel and Vodafone) are forthcoming. The biggest plus for Apple remains its successful ‘App Store’ where you can even buy the Hanuman Chalisa.
The iPhone Substitutes
Nokia N97: Nokia’s first ‘touch enabled’ Nseries device may not have the sleek look of the iPhone, but it comes equipped with a flip-out keyboard. Axel Meyer, Chief Designer, Nokia Nseries, told BTthat perfecting the ‘click’ sound the device makes when it is opened, took them three months. Meyer and his team also worked on improving Nokia’s outdated user interface and have given the N97 a customisable home page. The device is priced at Rs 35,000 in India and is available for all GSM networks.
Sony Ericsson Aino: Expected later this year, this is a very attractive, full-touch device from Sony Ericsson, which will have, among other features, the ability to connect to the Playstation 3 game console. Sony Ericsson has been suffering faltering sales of late despite having good devices, but this is one we are looking forward to.
Samsung Jet: This touch device is the latest in Samsung’s armoury and features Samsung’s new touch user interface. It also has a Samsungdeveloped mobile internet browser, ‘Dolfin’, which, it claims, is the best mobile browser in the world with the ability to view multiple pages and conduct multiple downloads simultaneously. Available for Rs 24,150.
If Apple’s “commitment-free” pricing is any indication, the iPhone 3G S will be priced between Rs 33,000 and Rs 37,000 depending on capacity. As for older iPhone 3G devices becoming cheaper (in the Rs 23,000-27,000 range), neither Apple nor iPhone operators in India (Airtel and Vodafone) are forthcoming. The biggest plus for Apple remains its successful ‘App Store’ where you can even buy the Hanuman Chalisa.
The iPhone Substitutes
Nokia N97: Nokia’s first ‘touch enabled’ Nseries device may not have the sleek look of the iPhone, but it comes equipped with a flip-out keyboard. Axel Meyer, Chief Designer, Nokia Nseries, told BTthat perfecting the ‘click’ sound the device makes when it is opened, took them three months. Meyer and his team also worked on improving Nokia’s outdated user interface and have given the N97 a customisable home page. The device is priced at Rs 35,000 in India and is available for all GSM networks.
Sony Ericsson Aino: Expected later this year, this is a very attractive, full-touch device from Sony Ericsson, which will have, among other features, the ability to connect to the Playstation 3 game console. Sony Ericsson has been suffering faltering sales of late despite having good devices, but this is one we are looking forward to.
Samsung Jet: This touch device is the latest in Samsung’s armoury and features Samsung’s new touch user interface. It also has a Samsungdeveloped mobile internet browser, ‘Dolfin’, which, it claims, is the best mobile browser in the world with the ability to view multiple pages and conduct multiple downloads simultaneously. Available for Rs 24,150.
