Apple’s iPhone 3G has been an extremely sought after device. With Apple’s decision to introduce the iPhone in other markets globally, variations in actual device prices, rate plans and subsidizing specifics are natural. However, some countries have been a little unluckier than most. The Philippines is one of the unluckiest, with users having to pay $1000 or more to get the new iPhone 3G.
“As soon as it was announced that the iPhone 3G is coming over to some other countries on Aug. 22, a local mobile distributor in the Philippines, Globe Telecoms, put up its official product site. It was pretty exciting to learn that we Filipino Apple fans are finally getting the iPhone in a legit way, having been skipped during last year’s first generation iPhone launch. Unfortunately, Filipinos will have to pay too much to get themselves an iPhone unit as soon as it comes out. How much? A whooping $1,000 plus for the plan-free 16GB iPhone unit. That amount was computed based on a US dollar-Philippine peso exchange rate of $1=P44,” reports Arnold Zafra for AppleTell.
“Other than offering the iPhone 3G under a plan-free scheme, Globe Telecoms is also offering the iPhone 3G under various data plans. The cheapest among these data plans would require subscribers to pay out around $503 for the unit and get tied up with a 24-month data service contract with a monthly service fee of around $36. The highest post-paid plan would entail subscribers to payout around $124 with a 24-month data service contract. Subscribers getting either of these plans will get various data service plan features, such as a certain number of free hours Wi-Fi usage, free sms, and free local mobile internet hours, among other thing,” Zafra continues.
For specifics regarding pricing and policies about the iPhone 3G in the Philipines, you can check out Globe’s pricing charts.
If you’d like to get a global overview of where the iPhone is available, how much it will cost in respective markets, carrier plans and actual device prices, check out our iPhone World Map here.
[via AppleTell]
[via Globe Telecoms Philippines]
