3G iPhone Selling Price in Singapore

Even though the new 3G iPhone will sell for quite cheap in the US (US$199 and US$299 for the 8GB and 16GB models respectively), I did not expect the prices in Singapore to fall as low. Yesterday’s Sunday Times carried an article that put the initial iPhone price in Singapore between S$500 and S$1000 (presumably with contract). Not cheap. Considering other premium phones like, say, the Nokia N95 8GB was launched at S$798 (I think?). The initial iPhone selling price may be slightly marked up because it is sold only by SingTel. What happens when the other telcos start carrying the iPhone?

Yes, the good news is that eventually all the three telcos here, SingTel, M1 and Starhub, will be selling the 3G iPhone. When that happens, competition will definitely drive the prices down. You can already see the heat of competition the day that true number portability came into effect. For example, SingTel was giving away free MacBook Airs (with hefty contracts of course).

Well, all these competition is good for consumers.

Update (8 July 2008): Optus has announced pricing for the iPhone in Ausralia. Since Optus is a subsidiary of SingTel, the pricing there could provide some indication of SingTel’s strategy in Singapore.