Sunday, Sep 23, 2012
Dubai: Some retailers, who are making a killing out of the iPhone 5 sales, are also offering buyers in the UAE the additional service of cutting micro-SIM to fit into the new smartphone’s nano-SIM slot, Gulf News has learnt.
The iPhone 5 connects to the local networks via a nano-SIM, which is smaller than the standard-sized SIMs used in most mobile phones and even smaller than the micro-SIM used in other Apple products. Buyers are at the mercy of the retailers to cut their existing micro-SIM to fit into the iPhone5. which are unavailable in the UAE. Etisalat and Du are expected to issue the real nano SIMs when the iPhone is launched in the UAE.
“I believe, the retailers have certain tools that enable them to cut the micro-SIM to fit into the nano-SIM slot and help them use the new smartphone,” Mohammad Sadiq, director of UK-based Siasa Telecom, told Gulf News. His company has imported two shipments of iPhone 5 into the UAE. His company is selling Apple’s latest device between Dh3,400 to Dh3,800 a piece to retailers.
The iphone 5, the world’s much-awaited Smartphone went on sale worldwide on Friday (September 21) after its launch in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Britain, France and Germany. It will launch in 22 more countries weeks later. It is not yet clear when apple will be releasing the iphone 5 in the Middle East, giving international mobile phone distributors like Siasa the opportunity to supply consumers direct.
Siasa Telecom has sold its first shipment of 160 iPhone handsets on Saturday while the second shipment of 500 pieces have arrived on Sunday.
Sadiq said the cutting tools are available in the market and his company also provides these to retailers.
Officials say this is the only way to use the new iPhone 5 handset in a territory where telecom operators are yet to launch its services commercially. When contacted, officials of Etisalat and du — the only two telecom service providers — could not confirm the date of the commercial launch of iPhone 5 services in the UAE. Till then, some smart retailers are going to make a killing out of thousands of impatient consumers — who can’t wait to lay their hands on the new device.
Apple Inc. is likely to sell 10 million iPhone 5 handsets in a few weeks and may not be able to keep up with demand as customers lined up in Sydney, Tokyo, Paris and New York to pick up the latest model of its top-selling product.
The much awaited iphone 5 is the thinnest and lightest iphone ever, completely redesigned to feature a stunning new 4-inch Retina display, an Apple-designed A6 chip for blazing fast performance; and ultrafast wireless technology, all while delivering even better battery life. iphone 5 comes with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features including: the all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography and turn-by-turn navigation; Facebook integration; Passbook organisation; and even more Siri features and languages.
Gulf News Report
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
