Apple iPhone in India may debut at Reliance Retail

India may join a league of 6 countries to host an Apple Store selling computers, software, iPod, Apple TV and much awaited iPhone. Japan is the only country in Asia to have an Apple Store.

Reliance Retail, which already has an electronics retail venture Reliance Digital, may bring the Apple Store to India. Apple Store is a specialised retail outlet which apart from selling Apple products, offer workshops, training and support services.

Though it remains to be seen whether Apple would like to go alone or partner with someone. Also, will it be willing to open Apple Store within the existing Reliance Digital setup or frame a separate venture for this.

Since Apple would like its brand equity to get maintained, it would not like its exclusive products to sell alongside other company’s products of a lower brand value.

$200 iPhone price drop - And what happened then…

The announcement of the $200 price drop on the 8Gig iPhone did not only cause positive reactions. A lot of the early adopters weren’t too happy to see such a huge drop in Price after only two months.

What made it worse, was a comment from Steve Jobs in an interview:

“Q: What do you say to customers who just bought a new iPhone for $599? Sorry?
A: That’s technology. If they bought it this morning, they should go back to where they bought it and talk to them. If they bought it a month ago, well, that’s what happens in technology.“

Well, looks like since he mad that statement, he changed his mind a little bit. in an open letter he announced that those early buyers will be able to get a $100 store credit (valid in the retail and online stores). Amazing reaction, which might cost Apple a small fortune, but then again, it shows why Apple has such a loyal customer base! Which other company would have reacted like this? I can’t name a single one.

iPhone sales fall short of O2 target

Sales of Apple's much-hyped iPhone in the UK have fallen just short of the expectations of O2, the mobile operator that is the exclusive network for the handset.

O 2 said shortly before the iPhone's UK launch on November 9 that it expected handset sales of 200,000 in the first two months, but people familiar with the situation said the actual figure for the first eight weeks was about 190,000.

Some analysts, who had regarded the original 200,000 prediction as a conservative estimate, added that Apple may have to cut the iPhone price in the UK if it wants to maintain sales momentum.

The iPhone's headline price is £269 but customers must also take out an 18-month contract starting at £35 per month, which means the minimum outlay is £899.

O 2 declined to comment on iPhone sales figures, but said it was "delighted with the response to the iPhone, which has seen unprecedented levels of customer satisfaction". It also confirmed the iPhone was its fastest-selling handset ever "by a significant margin".

In November, Matthew Key, incoming chief executive of O 2 Europe, said he expected about 200,000 iPhones to be sold in the UK in the first two months. As well as O 2 and Apple, the iPhone is sold by Carphone Warehouse.

However, Gartner, the research firm, said in November that 350,000 to 400,000 iPhones could be sold in the first eight weeks.

Carphone and Apple yesterday declined to comment on iPhone sales figures.

iPhone sales had been strong in the run up to Christmas, but had subsequently tapered off, according to people familiar with the situation.