Iphone is everywhere here in Manila, and to think that they will not be launched in asia until first quarter of 2008, I can say that Manila has become a haven for bootleg devices from software to hardware. Let me give you some benefits of waiting for Iphone to be officially launched here instead of acting as a “status symbol” of gadgets:
1. The price. when it was officially launched in the US, it was priced at 599 for the 8gig model and 499 for the 4gig model. After a couple of months, it was slashed to 399 for the 8G model and phased out the 4G model. It has caused an outrage in the US. Over here in Manila, the first iphones in sight costs 40,000 pesos (almost 800 US). It costs 28,000 in the market now because of the price drop. I am not willing to pay 40,000 for the iphone at this time. 28k is feasible but i’m not yet about to bite.
2. Compatibility. Yes the iphone has been hacked. But what good it would do to you if the support is limited? Yes everything is online but not everything online works, just like a fix for one cannot be guaranteed to be a fixed for all. I can be a geek at times but I don’t want to be a geek for a 30k or so toy. It’s nice to always have a backup support in case I mess up.
3. Updates. An Iphone update might, or for some people who hacked it, completely makes the phone unusable. Yes it will be fixed but how long before you can use it again?
4. Warranty. I want the things I buy to be placed under warranty and unlocking the iphone may void that warranty. I’ll just buy a paperweight somewhere if I want one.
Yes call me a chicken if you want to, but I don’t want to spend on something that I don’t think i can get my money’s worth at this time. I want an iphone really bad, but just like the Wii that I have coveted last christmas, I didn’t bite with the high price they were offering for wii then because it is simply not worth 30k at that time. I just completely fell out of it until it reached it’s current value, and i’m not interested on getting a wii anymore (opted to get a psp instead).
When it comes out officially here in Manila, I will move heaven and earth to get one. But for now, let the geeks do their tweaking so I can maximize it when I get one.