My sources in the mobile industry tell me that the iPhone is not due to arrive in the region untill Q1 or Q2 2008. So stop holding your breath.
Apple has become, over the years, increasingly dismissive of the Middle East market. I wrote about this before in this blog. In the iPhone’s case, the Arab markets are not even on the immediate radar screen of the folk at Cupertino (or the European division, which is responsible for the region).
Apple’s attitude towards the region is totally foolish and arrogant. Especially in the Gulf, people are ready to snap up Apple’s products. To be fair, the visibility of Apple in the mall of the UAE has increased. But Apple’s Arabic support on the MacOS X has always been more of an afterthought. Apple’s products are also too expensive in the region.
The Arab Middle East is a prime market for high end phones. Nokia’s (and other brands’) high end-devices are made available almost immediately after their global launch, even in countries like Jordan.
Cracked iPhones are making their way into the region by the hundreds. There is high interest and high awareness among consumers.
What does Apple do?
Ignore us until 2008.
Apple needs to shed it ‘Mac’ thinking when it comes to the iPhone. You’d think they learned the lesson from the iPod. The iPhone, unlike the Mac, is on everyone’s lips in Arabia. Give that market some respect Apple!
Comments
7 responses to “iPhone Arabia: Apple doesn’t give a sh** about the region (foolishly)”
Its alright. it shouldn’t be a big deal.
they have postponed shipping the iPhone to the UK until early November, and that we are talking about the UK. let alone the middle east. even in france they havent settled on a real deal yet.
I personally thought u will say its going to be postponed till 2010 or something. its only few more months. and hey, at least then, we would get one with most of bugs being fixed right?
alot of it is marketing strategy, and steve job is well known and has always been against apple hardware expandability. ever since he created apple. you can still read his opinions about expandability on his website.
besides, c’mon lets be real. the majority of arabs are not aware of major mobile inventions, or software releases because they are worth the knowledge or usage, they are aware of new mobiles because they are just trendy and want one for social reasons.
again, what is the average time an arab keeps a new cell phone? my brother changes his cell phone once every two months. what a waste of money. ask him about why he changed: ammm, this one has 4 mega pixel camera than my old 3.2 pixel phone!
Apple does not give a crap except for Egypt.
Hail Microsoft and Nokia
Well said. I think one of the best things we can do is raise awareness of this issue, keep it active in the public’s mind, keep it going on web sites, so that perhaps, by any small chance, Apple Inc will notice us Apple fans in the Middle East.
who gives a sh** about them either, losts of better products are availale here in the market.
Will their be a problem with unlocked 3g iPhones in the middleeast… In terms of app store etc???
2/10 of my friends are currently using an unlocked iPhone in Kuwait.. Even more have owned one in past.. An average gulf mobile user buys the latest mobile once a year… Gulf Arabs have the highest spending power in the world.. Apple is stupid to ignore them. Wake up apple!!
I really appreciate that you are discussing such an important issue. WHY iPHONE IS STILL NOT LAUNCHED IN MIDDLE EAST. Bunch of Assholes!!
What will happen if you become the first one to own it! Will it make a difference in the world. Yeah sure, go ahead, arrange for a media campaign pleading to apple to launch it in middle east on first priority otherwise we are gonna blow its headquarters!!
Start thinking on some better topics. Maybe a better thing to wonder about is that why we dont have a single university that comes in world ranking?