14 DAY TRIAL // SingTel, the largest mobile operator in Singapore, plans to offer Apple's iPhone to its subscribers starting September 2008. Since by then the 3G version of the handset will be released and Singapore mainly uses 3G mobile networks, it's almost certain that SingTel wants to bring the 3G-enabled iPhone. Currently, the only way an iPhone can be bought in Singapore is unlocked, hence illegally.
TodayOnline reports that the iPhone will be offered to Singaporean consumers for a retail price of about $700, which might seem a bit expensive for US users that can get the device for much less.
With a population of about 4.6 million, the small but rich city-state of Singapore has a mobile penetration rate of 125%, which means there are almost 6 million phones in use, everyone owning at least one. SingTel has more than 1.8 million Singaporean mobile subscribers and about 125 million across Asia, thanks to its subsidiaries and regional associates.
Since the company has such a strong presence outside Singapore, we might see the iPhone soon in other Asian and Pacific markets. Optus Australia, for example, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SingTel, and it is well known that Apple wants to bring the iPhone to Australian lands too. Furthermore, SingTel also has important shareholdings in major mobile operators like Bharti Group (India, 60 million subscribers), Telkomsel (Indonesia, 48 million subscribers), Advanced Info Service (Thailand, 23 million subscribers), Globe Telecom (Philipines, 20 million subscribers) and Warid Telecom (Pakistan, 13 million subscribers).
Assuming that SingTel will bring the iPhone to all these carriers, Apple's plans to sell at least 10 million handsets in Asia until the end of 2008 are not at all unrealistic. Needless to say, the Cupertino based company will cash in huge profits and I can already see Steve Jobs' eyes turning into big $ signs.