Singapore

Possible iPhone 4S Pricing in Singapore

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Judging from the various news/rumors circulating around these few days, finally we will be seeing the next iPhone in 3 storage capacities, 16GB, 32GB and for people like me, 64GB. And the news is that we are going to get them at a lower price, namely, the current price for the 16GB will get you a 32GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5, the current price for the 32GB will get you a 64GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5. And that brings us to the 16GB model, which will probably be around $130 cheaper than the old 16GB pricing of $480 (Singtel pricing) on contract with the cheapest iPhone-specific plans, such as Singtel’s iFlexi Lite. That is a big deal. Not only because it will make the “current generation iPhone” a lot more attractive for people who aren’t willing to spend over $400 on a phone, it also effectively pushes the “last generation iPhone”‘s pricing down to a possible $200 range.

Judging by the latest exchange rate Apple uses for Singapore, and assuming that carriers keep their current subsidy amounts, I believe we are looking at these possible prices;

Non-Contract iPhones from Apple

16GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $708
32GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $838
64GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $968

8GB iPhone 4 (Plastic Casing, Made in Brazil) – $578

Contract iPhone from Singtel on iFlexi Lite Plan

16GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $310
32GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $430
64GB iPhone 4S / iPhone 5 – $550

8GB iPhone 4 (Plastic Casing, Made in Brazil) – $200

Unfortunately, the contract prices will be harder to predict, basically due to the fact that Apple’s profit levels are different on the various models as compared to their sales price, so you will often see a bigger subsidy on the higher end models simply because Singtel and other telcos get the higher end models cheaper.

Also note that I am using “iPhone 4S / iPhone 5” simply because I have no idea what is going to be announced tonight. This is really exciting.

EDITED: Prices above are probably totally wrong due to 2 factors;

1. The US exchange rate has spiked since the last Apple product released with a lower exchange rate – the MacBook Air

2. News about how the capacities are going to double at the same price are totally wrong.

Also, since Apple Singapore has just released prices for the 3GS and the iPhone 4 8GB, we can somehow safely assume that the exchange rate used for the old iPhone 4 prices will be slightly different for the new iPhone 4S.

That means;

Non-Contract iPhones from Apple

iPhone 4S 16GB – 928
iPhone 4S 32GB – 1068
iPhone 4S 64GB – 1208
iPhone 4 8GB – 788 (Apple SG verified)
iPhone 3GS – 548 (Apple SG verified)

Contract iPhone from Singtel on iFlexi Lite Plan (assuming subsidy prices remain the same)

iPhone 4S 16GB – 520
iPhone 4S 32GB – 660
iPhone 4S 64GB – 800

P.S.: Note that contract pricing is a running target and the prices are often different among the different carriers, so they are highly unreliable, but it’s a rough estimates based on current contract pricing.

P.S. Again: I am 20 to 30 dollars off on all the prices. Apple revealed those prices to be as following;

16GB 948
32GB 1088
64GB 1238

Possible pricing for iPad 2 (wifi only) in Singapore?

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Some information came in regarding possible prices when the iPad 2 launches in Singapore next Friday, 29th April 2011.

16GB $668

32GB $798

64GB $928

Only time will tell if they are accurate, but if they are, it will represent quite a major drop from the original pricing for the iPad 1 when it launched in Singapore last July, for the original 16GB wifi set cost $728, and will also put it in line with my previous information that the 16GB wifi will launch with a price between $650 to $690.

When is the iPad 2 launching in Singapore?

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Chatter and whisperings for the past 30 days point to 29th April 2011 as the day us Singaporean mortals will finally be able to buy the magical device from a local store.

More chatter also enlightens us to the fact that the cheapest wifi model will start at a price lower than the original $728 the original 16GB wifi iPad launched with last year, most likely between $650 to $690.

I will be at my favourite iPad Launch Day queueing location as usual this year.

The Singtel iPhone Rep Who Told Me to Turn Off the Roaming Data Switch When I Wanted to Cancel Mobile Data

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So Thursday I was at my Grandpa’s place to setup his (mine really) “brand new” Original Aluminum iPhone.

After the setup, I called up Singtel as usual to cancel mobile data as after all, what my grandfather really wants is a nice looking phone with a super easy to use chinese input for SMS, not internet on the go.

I dialed 1626, selected the mobile menu, and for some reason, while I always select “0” for “all other enquiries” on other occasions, I decided to enter “1” for “iPhone Technical Support”.

It’s not really wrong I guess, the phone number I am calling about is now on an iPhone.

I dialed “1” and waited.

“Hello? Singtel Customer Service”, the CS Rep said.

The voice was not that of the usually professional sounding Singtel CS phone reps, but more like some random kid, but never mind for now.

Me: “Hi, I’m calling on behalf of my grandfather. I’ve just switched him to one of my old iPhones and I will like you to cancel mobile data on his line.”

Singtel iPhone Technical Customer Service Rep: “Ah? You mean the GPRS ah? Erm… Okay. Wait ah.”

I am not exaggerating the speech. He was really speaking like that. For a Singtel Customer Service Rep.

Singtel iPhone Technical Customer Service Rep: “Okay… I’ve checked, your line don’t have a mobile data package.”

Me: “Right, I know. I just switched him to an iPhone, so I want you to cancel the mobile data or rather GPRS, portion of it. You know how all 3G sim cards have data enabled so they can MMS?”

Singtel iPhone Technical Customer Service Rep: “Oh you mean you want to cancel GPRS.”

Me: “Yes, didn’t I say that just now?”

Singtel iPhone Technical Customer Service Rep: “Erm okay. You wait ah. Erm….”

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“Best Cases and Sleeves for iPhone 4 in Singapore” Review Series – Fabrix Cases iPhone 4 Sleeve

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I can’t believe how long I took to finally get this.

I got my iPhone 4 two weeks ago at the Singtel Midnight iPhone 4 Launch, and it replaced my 3GS as my only phone less than twelve hours after the purchase.

My 3GS had a case (Incase Po on it all the time so I was always just slipping the phone directly into my pockets without any other protection.

The iPhone 4, however, is a thing of extreme beauty. And the last thing I will do to it is to use it with a case (in case you are wondering, there is no iPhone 4 antennagate outside the States. All evidence and news reports from around the world point to AT&T as the problem) that will hide the majority of its beauty, at least for the time being.

So what did I do?

First things first. Power Support Screen Protectors. The Best.

Next, a sleeve.

Instead of purchasing something immediately, I went home, took the old Sumajin off my iPod Video, and slipped my iPhone 4 into it.

One week later, I got so fed up with it that I finally caved in and ordered one of these.

And today it came.

Why a sleeve?

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