Airtel, Vodafone to launch iPhone

Apple's cult-STATUS offering, the iPhone 3G, will be available to Indian mobile users through private telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar from August 22.

Apple's cult-STATUS offering, the iPhone 3G, will be available to Indian mobile users through private telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar from August 22.

HT Image

"iPhone has been an iconic technological revelation of this year and Airtel has been at the forefront of innovation and customer delight in the Indian telecom sector," president, Bharti Airtel mobile services Sanjay Kapoor said in a statement.

Vodafone Essar executives said their launch date for the iPhone is the same.

IPhone is embedded with all 3G (third generation mobile telephony) features and is twice as fast as the existing mobile phones. The phone also has in-built GPS system, that facilitates as a navigation and positioning tool.

The Indian mobile operators are not disclosing the price of iPhone at this point. Analysts feel it could be priced at about $499 or Rs 20,000.