14 DAY TRIAL // An Apple reseller in India has taken to Facebook to advertise a new offer for a “free upgrade” to iOS 7 with the purchase of a new iPhone 5, or a paid upgrade to iOS 7 for existing iPhone / iPad owners.
Apple has already ordered iCentre to take down their offer, and by the looks of their web site, iCentre itself is down.
Considering the severity of their ill fated move, there’s a pretty good chance iCentre India has lost its license to sell even the cheapest iPod players.
The offer said you’d get a “free upgrade” to iOS 7 with the purchase of an iPhone 5. Alternately, they offered to give you iOS 7 in exchange for 1000 INR (around $20, or €15).
iOS 7 is currently in internal testing and is off limits to the general population. Apple not only doesn’t sell iOS as a standalone product (it’s a free download for iDevice owners), but it goes to great lengths to keep it away from regular users until testing is complete.
iCentre has broken two of Apple’s most sacred rules, which most likely spells the end of their business with the Cupertino giant.
Keep in mind that Premium Resellers are the closest thing to Apple Retail stores, which means any uninspired move is directly attributed to Apple itself.
“Conveniently located and beautifully designed, Apple Premium Resellers is the place to be to find your favourite Apple products,” reads Apple’s description of a Premium Reseller.
“The entire store focuses exclusively on the Mac, iPod, and iPhone platform, whether you are a new or existing customer, trained staff will be able to find a solution that is right for you,” Apple adds.
Imagine how bad it would look for Apple to be “selling” iOS 7 before it’s even finalized.