Apple’s new 3G iPhone will be absent from the mobile phone stores of much of Asia with the region mostly left off a list of 70 countries to receive the much-hyped device this year.
Apple named just Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong & Macau, India and the Philippines as Asian markets earmarked for the new device this year. China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan were among notable omissions from the list although the likes of Equatorial Guinea, Nicaragua and Botswana made the cut!
SingTel will sell the gadget in Singapore, while Bharti Airtel will introduce it in India. Globe Telecom has the rights to the iPhone in the Philippines as does Hutchison Telecom in Hong Kong and Macau.
Earlier this year Apple and China Mobile called off talks to launch the handset to Chinese consumers amid speculation that the two firms failed to agree on a revenue sharing deal.
Analysts said that this meant the iPhone will unlikely to be released in China anytime soon.
Apple has been traditionally weak in Asia, mainly as a result of the premium pricing of its mainstay computer products. Access to iTunes is also blocked in some major Asian markets.
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