As of today, August 22, mobile users across India can finally buy Apple's new iPhone 3G, either from Airtel or from Vodafone - the first and the third largest carriers in the country.
While the news of iPhone 3G's release is probably known by lots of Indian consumers, what they might not know is that another touchscreen handset will soon be launched in India. The handset is LG 1000 (or LG VX1000), already available in the US and exclusively sold by Verizon, under the name of LG Voyager.
The Voyager / LG 10000 will be released by Reliance, the second largest Indian mobile operator, in a move that is aimed at stealing a bit of iPhone 3G's success.
Although it might not be as fancy as the iPhone 3G, LG Voyager is definitely a device that can attract lots of users who are in need of a cool touchscreen phone. One of the advantages of Voyager / LG 1000 over Apple's handset is that it will be sold for a more affordable price. More exactly, Reliance said the new LG would have a retail price between 22,000 and 25,000 INR (510 - 580 USD).
Of course, we're still talking about an expensive device, but the iPhone 3G will drain even more money out of Indian buyers' pockets. Both Airtel and Vodafone are selling Apple's handset for the following prices: 31,000 INR ($718) for the 8GB version, and 36,100 INR ($836) for the 16GB one. The 8GB iPhone 3G is available in black, while
the 16GB one can be acquired in black or white.
To get a better clue about the advantages and disadvantages of LG Voyager and iPhone 3G, we're presenting a table with their main features - click the thumbnail on the left.
As you can see, the iPhone 3G does have more to offer, but LG 1000's full QWERTY keyboard and its more attractive price will surely not be ignored by Indian mobile users.
The exact release date of LG 1000 is not known for the moment, but the handset should be in Reliance's stores in the next few weeks. Until then, you have time to decide if you're buying an Apple-made or an LG-made touchscreen phone (that's if you have the money, of course).
