"Design In California. Assembly By China. Apple Hold All The Power" - Inscription on the back of an iPhone Clone that I tried out in Delhi a couple of days ago. * The Apple iPhone has been priced at Rs. 31,000 for the 8GB ($710), and Rs. 36100 ($830) for the 16 GB version in India. Apart from a select early adopters - that is, those who haven't yet bought the 2G iPhone from the grey market, off Ebay (delivery by FedEx) or directly from the US - it's likely to receive a lukewarm response. I'd be very surprised to find buyers queued up outside retail showrooms, which is something of a norm in the US. Why At A Premium? The problem is that instead of being priced cheaper than the US version, or at least on par, the iPhone has been priced in India at a premium. From what we've heard, the iPhone will be locked-in, but the tariffs will remain unchanged: hence, the price is only comparable with AT&Ts no-contract version, the pricing for which was announced last month: Therefore, the iPhone is at a 18.5 percent premium, while most people have in mind the prices for a new iPhone 3G with a 2 year plan - $399 price for 8GB and $499 for 16 GB model. The other problem is that 3G won't be launched for at least another year in India, and unlocked 2G iPhones are available in India for between $400-$500. Unlocked iPhones While no…
