Hooray!, Unlocked, iPhones, from, Airtel

Apple has finally gotten around. In a strategic shift in its policy of locking the phone to a service provider, Apple allowed Airtel to unlock the iPhone. Which means Airtel outlets will be a distribution channel for iPhone’s. This applies for iPhone 3G S.

Would this be a big blow for Vodafone? Probably not. Because the iPhone bought from an Airtel outlet can be used by a Vodafone user too. Vodafone might stop selling the iPhones as from the last estimates only 17000 of them were sold (Airtel and Vodafone combined)

Locking the iPhone to either Airtel or Vodafone did not make any sense as the price was still exorbitant at 31000 rupees(for a 16 GB iPhone). Now, the market is open and with so many new service providers coming up iPhone is open for a potential 300 million users unlike 150 million mobile users earlier.

According to Apple’s global support site, Bharti Airtel has been authorised to legally unlock the iconic handsets in the country. Vodafone in Australia, Orange in Austria and Movistar in Argentina are among the 40 global carriers (Airtel is the only one in India) authorised to unlock the handsets. (Business Standard)

iPhone 3G S needed a fillip before its launch on August 19. Looks like this might be it unless 3G spectrum is auctioned before August.

PS : Before I can sink this good news in there is one waiting for. Government can block your website if it finds it offensive. Locking and unlocking all in 2 days.