[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

I am a crazy fan of Apple the company and its mind blowing products.

I have an iPhone, iPod Touch 3G and a iPod shuffle 1G. All these products are just out of this world.

you might be in the minority. most indians still prefer function over style.

But I do agree with the step-brotherly treatment of Apple when it comes to iTunes Store. If I have to download a movie from the iTunes Movie store, I simply CAN NOT. Why??? Because I am an Indian. I had got so damn pissed off with this that I had posted this question strongly on the Apple official forum. One stupid A** replied saying that India is corrupt and there is too much piracy, so Apple doesn't allow Indian users to download Movies, Music or such stuff. Isn't this unacceptable??

You got pissed of because somebody told you India is corrupt and thee is so much piracy? Head to two threads running in shifting gears.

Coming back to apple, rest assured they are playing by the rules of market. If they don't see a potential, they will not launch it soon enough. They are in market for profit, not for equal rights. The only way to change it would be thru creating a higher demand for the latest gadgets. I think India is still way behind in consumerism/materialism compared to US.

[lurker]

Apple can't make enough iphones and ipads to cater to demand in the west anyways. Their sales model doesn't attract Indians who can afford their gadgets anyways. And those who are desperate for it, usually manage to find one from elsewhere.

So why bother.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Their sales model doesn't attract Indians who can afford their gadgets

I see a lot of iPhones among my richer friends.



Disclaimer: Apple-free houshold. Wouldn't give iTunes hard-disk-space even if my machine was running windows. But I still that think that the iphone is, without a doubt, the prettiest, cleverest phone on the market!

[Dry Ice]

Neither am I a fan boy or dead against it, but I'll wait till the company rationalizes its prices here as per the international markets before betting my money on it. Maybe they'll do it sometime in future, maybe they won't.

OT:
Just curious about the 'piracy' bit. Is piracy the highest in India? US of A is what, holier than thou?

I, for one, don't believe this!

[RX135]

US market being much bigger than India is a hogwash. Cell phones are not cars. In mobile phone market, India and China are fastest growing players.

iPhone isn't exactly a sales hit in India and going by their pricing, I doubt if they will be. Most of the iPhones I have seen are imported cheap from US and not really bought in India.

Let Apple think that they are maintaining their "premium" image by selling less number of phones at higher price. Eventually, they would be the losers. One fine day, they will wake up to the reality. Samsung already has upped the ante in all segments and is already giving Nokia run for money.

P.S.: BTW, I am a big fan of everything Apple. They sure know how to offer best user experience.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by lurker

Their sales model doesn't attract Indians who can afford their gadgets anyways.

Let them bring stuff at US prices and we'll see their sales go through the roof.

[maddy42]

Well iphone is cheap in the US coz of the 2 year contract that comes associated with it unless you jail break the same.

India is not a gadget freak country compared to the west. This is actually a good thing as i seriously doubt the need of an ipad after paying 500 $ for it when u get a good laptop for the same price.

Why would you want to adjust to a new product when the only thing nice about it is turning pages when you read a book!!

[Thad E Ginathom]

Well iphone is cheap in the US coz of the 2 year contract that comes associated with it unless you jail break the same.

I guess the market works according to an entirely different model in USA/Europe.

Here we worry about how many free SMSs we get on a monthly plan: there, they worry about the free phone!

[maddy42]

^^ Very true Thad.

But frankly Indian Telecom companies have amazing offers compared to US. We are one of the cheapest and most competitive market.

[anku94]

I also heard a friend of mine saying - this could very well be wrong - that Apple products are categorised into A,B and C grades and India gets 'C-grade' products.

Normally I'd not bother retaining what sounds to be ridiculous, but he claims that a friend of his dad involved in distribution of Apple products in China told him that, and his dad knows people...so is there the slightest/minutest chance he's right ? Although the Apple products I've seen are all Indian, they don't seem to be 'C-grade' in any way.

[snorting bull]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Well iphone is cheap in the US coz of the 2 year contract that comes associated with it unless you jail break the same.

IPhone is not cheap in the US. They initially pay $49 and end up paying as EMI in their monthly bills. Nevertheless its cheaper than Indian prices. Here they seem to be looting.

But believe me or not. Apple customer service in India is the best. I have had experiences which will make you more than happy. Atleast I am not aware of a company which gives respect to its customers as Apple. They replaced my macbookpro display free of cost, when I went out of warranty and it had only one line going through the display.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by snorting bull

But believe me or not. Apple customer service in India is the best. I have had experiences which will make you more than happy. Atleast I am not aware of a company which gives respect to its customers as Apple. They replaced my macbookpro display free of cost, when I went out of warranty and it had only one line going through the display.

Well I had an issue with their Routers , the customer service is pathetic. Most of their so called tech people dont even know what to do other than switch it off and switch it on.

Worst is that if its in warranty they will replace it, Otherwise you just need to throw it off, they do not even offer any paid service.

Finally I resolved it myself by reading through multiple tech forums online.

[CaliAtenza]

Originally Posted by RX135

US market being much bigger than India is a hogwash. Cell phones are not cars. In mobile phone market, India and China are fastest growing players.

iPhone isn't exactly a sales hit in India and going by their pricing, I doubt if they will be. Most of the iPhones I have seen are imported cheap from US and not really bought in India.

Let Apple think that they are maintaining their "premium" image by selling less number of phones at higher price. Eventually, they would be the losers. One fine day, they will wake up to the reality. Samsung already has upped the ante in all segments and is already giving Nokia run for money.

P.S.: BTW, I am a big fan of everything Apple. They sure know how to offer best user experience.

So why is it that the US is already getting 4G tech while India JUST got 3G. Also the US is now getting the best cell phones in the world; India still is behind, especially in the Android dept :(. Even China is getting better phones than India . Most everything i have is Apple (Macbook Pro, Magic Mouse, Ipod, etc), but im not really into the iPhone. I'd rather have an Android.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by RX135

US market being much bigger than India is a hogwash. Cell phones are not cars. In mobile phone market, India and China are fastest growing players.

Fastest growing market is not the same as fastest growing market. There are some 50 million smart phones in the US. There are around 6-8 million in India. India figure includes a lot more cheaper ones than the US.

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

I think India is still way behind in consumerism/materialism compared to US.

I don't think so. The difference is that far more people can afford it in the US than India.

Originally Posted by snorting bull

Atleast I am not aware of a company which gives respect to its customers as Apple.

I can't think of any company which walks all over it's customers than Apple.

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

But I do agree with the step-brotherly treatment of Apple when it comes to iTunes Store. If I have to download a movie from the iTunes Movie store, I simply CAN NOT. Why??? Because I am an Indian.

It may be because Apple doesn't have the license to sell the movie in India.

[normally_crazy]

Only Apple uses India as a dumpyard ? No one else ?