The official iPhone launch in South Africa – 26 September
The time has finally come, on the 26th September you’ll be able to buy one! After a busy thread about iPhones in South Africa, I can finally publish the real story behind all of this.
iPhone is coming soon to hundreds of Vodacom locations across South Africa on the 26th September. Which means you’ll be able to get your hands on an iPhone shortly! If you’re interested in knowing where exactly the closest Vodacom store is, click here.
It really is a stunning phone and I’m pretty sure they’re going to sell thousands of of them, regardless of my views about there being much better mobiles available on the circuit.
There’s a great guided tour over here, on the Apple website, best you take a watch!
About the author:
Christopher is the founder of iMod - Most of his time is spent building websites and pushing the limits with Search Engine Optimization. You can follow him on Twitter @ChristopherM
Christopher is the founder of iMod - Most of his time is spent building websites and pushing the limits with Search Engine Optimization. You can follow him on Twitter @ChristopherM
Sep 22nd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I want one, but I also want a phone that’s got video recording, so maybe I’ll go for those that you say are better phones on the market :)
Sep 22nd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I want me one! But my upgrade is only in Jan and it will still be quite expensive :/ O well! Time to save!
Sep 22nd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Has the thread officially moved now?
Sep 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Hi Nick,
Well, this thread is probably better than the other one, seeing that this is now representing the official launch..
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Ladies and Gents the moment we.ve all been waiting for the i-phone is been launched by vodacom on friday!!!!!……..it official and if youve pre-ordered in on http://www.vodacom.co.za youll be contacted by our sales department. how do you feel now Chris
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I’m so excited, kinda.
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Hehe, it’s an expensive phone, but it’s a wicked phone!
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Its an ok phone, trust me I have a first gen iPhone i sold it to get the 3G aswell like most in SA. When you first get it , you are VERY VERY disapointed.
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Aah, I’m getting so tired of those Apple haters.. Suck it up: your PC is just not as good. Stop being angry, start saving for your own apple device.
Anyway, just got a call from incredible connection; they start selling on friday (duh) prices are R6999 for 8gb and R7999 for the 16gb. Very much, a bit to much for me. I’ll buy it in Belgium where they sell it unlocked for 515 euro (R5900).
Sep 23rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Dude?! I have got an iPhone and a mac 20″ LOL :) I HATE MICROSOFT.
Sep 24th, 2008 at 3:31 am
Lol Nick, we ain’t Mac haters here at all! We’re all looking forward to the release of the iPhone in a big way, it’s just looking rather expensive unfortunately :/
Sep 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Who here is going to the launch tomorrow night at vodaworld? I live right there but lol, im too scared to go and be disapointed, their prices i reckon will be bout R400 P/M With R2500 Cash pay in for a 16GB. Dose anyone know if there will be a white one available? Cause if not, i gotta import one. There is no way im getting black. FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER THE THING :(I seen a few guys here with black 8gigs. Not impressed with the back. I phoned cellucity yesterday they claim they gettin white but i dunoo…..
BTW : Chris, thanks for this article. You were the first i think in SA to let people know ;)
Sep 24th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Hey bud, I don’t think I’ll make the launch to be honest, I’m on a contract at the moment and so I guess I have to wait for that to expire before upgrading? Hmmm, I wonder if they’ll sell me one for R2500.00 inside a current contract? If that’s the case, I would be keen!
No problem, glad I could let everyone know about it :)
Sep 24th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Is it me or does this seem like a looong week?
Just thought id point out that theres a thread on the mybb site thats got some info for those interested
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=122203&page=44
Sep 24th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Haha mozami, you’re spot on, although when I think that tomorrow is Thursday, then it feels like the week has actually gone pretty quickly?
Ah yes, MyBB is a brilliant resource for all things web :)
Sep 25th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Hi All.
I’ve JUST (1hour ago) had a call from the Vodashop in Hatfield Pretoria.
The iPhone is available tomorrow (26Sept) as a CASH PURCHACE ONLY.
8Gb will cost you R7700.
I think the word you’re looking for is either – Ripp-Off or Exploitation.
But that’s what we’ve come to expect from Vodacom.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Complete rip off! I can’t believe they’re pulling such an act, that must be marked up by at least R3000 if not more :/
Sep 25th, 2008 at 11:54 am
I think it quite a hefty price tag. But this is still considerably less than what some other places are charging. The average price i’ve seen at the local online stores was about R9500 for the 8GB.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 11:57 am
9500!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my word! There was an article not too long ago about a country which lost its license to sell the iPhone because they pumped the prices up too much, this better not happen here!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
The sheer INCOMPETENCE of the Vodacom product roll-out is staggering. The Vodashop will have the iPhone available in less than 24hours – but NO single person (including the Store Manager) can tell me what the iPhone Packages will be.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
@ iphone
if you were so VERY VERY disapointed and sold your 1G iphone, why you wanna get another one?
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Roach Daddy,- They have prices and everything, i was just at vodaworld now and i saw the stock going in, i went there now so i could pay a deposit for a guaranteed phone tonight. They do not want to tell people because they know that people will moan and not go to the launch cause the price is too high. R7700 for an 8GB is a bit steep, but hey, i think i would pay that much if i drove 30 minutes to vodaworld and stood in a line for 3 hours and to not get it then would probably result in waiting till Jan 2009 for the next lot to come in…
So they are very clever. They dont reveal the prices until everyone is there, so what and extra R2000 on the Card? Lol
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Thanks to all you early adopters for rushing out and getting this phone, if indeed it will be at an inflated price. I’ll sit and wait until my current contract runs out and then decide which phone to get.
Pretty sexy phone though, don’t remember any other phone with so much hype surrounding it:)
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
michael, i said i was disapointed in the first week of gettin it. Cause its a very simple phone trust me, so easy to use , and user friendly. But after a while you get used to it and its the best phone there is out there!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
iPhone – Vodashop has prices – but ONLY ons cash purchase. They STILL don’t have the package details for upgrades and pay-inn. This is completely inexcusable. And ALSO – I don’t think that the price is a BIT STEEP. It’s a complete Rip-Off. Apple slashed the price of the iPhone to ensure that Apple Users and Apple Lovers wil get this stunning product at a reasonable price. But is SA we always get ButtF*%&ked by the Monopolies – and Vodacom is one of the worst… They should grovel in shame at the feet of their Customers – and apologize for screwing up the launch and damaging the reputation of a World Class product with their 3rd World blundering.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
No, that is wrong. They slashed the pay in with a contract price. Some dont get it. Look at the 95 8GB Its like R10000 and you complaining cause a iPhone 8GB is R7700?! Here is a detailed explanation of what happened with prices:
IN THE USA (with AT&T) iPhone first gen was sold for $599. You could walk out the store without signing the contract and you were supposed to purhcase the contract online and activate it. And everyone did this because at&t was the only carrier then you could use it on. Now its unlocked so….
IN THE USA (with at&t) Now when purchasing the iPhone you HAVE to sign the contract, get approved before getting the phone. NO Just buying the phone for $199 and walking out. And that $199 or $299 is a Cash pay in system , just like we will have probably with vodacom. And there the minimum contract is R400 P/M + So yes by saying half the price they mean pay in is half the price.
Apple has an agreement with all cellular providers selling the phone, that for every phone they sell, the provider has to pay apple bout $300 or so – R2500. So they will NEVER sell you the phone for R2500 or R5000. Cheap phones that have old features- nokia or motorola go for that much! It is an expensive toy, if you dont wanna pay, dont complain, and go get another phone….
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I have the right (as a consumer) to complain. The reason why we get ripped off all the time in SA is because South Africans just bend over and take it.
My complaint is two way:
1. Vodacom is over-pricing the phone.
2. The ever delayed launch and sheer incompetence of the roll-out.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
You clearly are desparate for the phone but cannot afford it! You cannot do anything bout it so…..
Go on to http://www.ebay.com and try get one there ;)
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Bla bla bla, bla bla expensive bla bla incompetent bla bla Apple hater.
And stuff.
The trouble here is that the iPhone was developed by Apple – a company headquartered in the USA, and a company that specifically considers the cultures and branding and trends of those marketplaces
Africa is NOT America, and it never will be. We’re a hell of a lot more critical and/or observant (possibly cynical), but we think before we buy, and that’s probably why brands like Apple don’t do so well over here. Look at the cost-to-benefit ratio of PC vs Mac, SEricsson vs. iPhone, and you’ll notice that you get much more with the latter respective products.
The only reason (I say ‘only’ with careful consideration) Apple is a runaway success in the States is because they do their marketing so damn well. It’s not a product – it’s a religion.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
@Wogan – I agree about your comment of making it a religion, that’s spot on, however, dude, seriously, those prices are absolutely crazy!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
@Chris Once you’ve hypnotized the masses, you can milk them like crazy without anyone noticing. Benny Hinn’s a master at that … LOL
Yes, R8k for a phone that’ll be poorly supported (like other Apple merchandise) and difficult to use, not to mention branded and locked by Apple and Vodafone and Vodacom, is a bit too much. And apparently you can’t even use the 3G modem externally… :/
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
@Wogan – Ah ok, if that’s what we’re talking about, then I totally agree with you! Apple is fantastic at doing that, kudu’s to them!
Sheesh, that’s being really shackled for a lot of money!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Apple will do a LOT better in South Africa as a Brand if the Apple Stores here hired competent people and spent some time training them. Apple is as much a religion here as it is anywhere else in the world. I’ve been working on Macs for the last 15 years – and I am a believer. 3rd world Idiots like Vodacom, iStore and ZA Store.
My experiences in the States with Apple has always been Customer orientated – not just Marketing. Apple MArketing is Global not local. Service and Customer Care in this country is NO-EXISTENT.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I have to agree with ‘RoachDaddy
Sep 25th, 2008 at 1:30 pm’. Apple sells good because they provide quality stuff and with it good service. This is way better than any other supplier on the market.
I don’t want to comment on people saying stuff like ‘difficult to use..’ because everyone that has been using mac knows that it is far (farfar) ahead of Windows pc’s when it comes to usability. It might only take some time to get used to, but it is the other way around as well.
About the marketing everybody keeps referring to as the reason apple sells; they hardly do anything about marketing. Everybody that knows marketing (and I am talking about a bachelor/master degree, not a copyboy) sees that they let their products sell themselves, because they offer a good product.
Anyway, the iPhone is way too expansive really. People trying to talk this over with US examples; it is not true. In Europe (where I’m from) they’ll be sold for around 500 euro’s, and looking at euro-rand buying capacity this is completely ridiculous.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
ITS OFFICIAL: IHAVE THE iPhone 3G Price from vodacom…. well on prepaid :)
So after calling loadsa places. I finally found a store that would give me the price. Dion wired. They claim to be offering it on prepaid only.
Prices:
8GB- 6499
16GB-7499 (White will most probably be available)
Will repost at 5 to let you know if white is ganna be here….
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
do people still buy phones for cash?
at those prices :(
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
@michael – I certainly don’t! Gota have a lot of disposable income to waste if you’re spending 9k on a mobile device! If the thing coule make bacon and eggs, wash my clothes and make my bed, I’d consider it ;)
@iPhone – Thanks!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Chris – those functions will only be available on the next upgrade.
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Dammit, now I have to wait again and we all know what happens when we wait for Apple ;)
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
chris, i agree totally, cant remember when last i heard someone buying a mobile for cash since the top up packages came out, unless its a cheap phone,
the PS 3 is even cheaper than the iphone lol
ill wait til the iphone is on contract, its gotta be on contract soon
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Absolutely. Lol, I didn’t even think of that, I would much rather get a PS3, in fact, for 9k, I could make a list of things I’d rather get!
I want to know.. I’m on a contract already, due for upgrade only in 8months or so.. Would I be able to buy the phone for -+R2500?
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Ye Chris, probably. That is just prepaid. It will be available on contract also today or tomoz. Prepaid is just frm dion :D
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Ye, I realised that, was just checking, cos I’m not ready for an upgrade, so I would be inside contract, but not upgrade.. If it’s R2,500.00 I will probably get one :)
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Nah, I would have to get another 24 month contract to get it!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
@ Chris M, Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:10 pm:
I think you’ll be looking for a girlfriend…
Sep 25th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Haha, got one, but I ain’t getting her a contract!!!! ROFL!
Sep 25th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Why is the Vodacom prepaid prices the same prices as the guy on Bid Or Buy. These guys after all buy a phone in the US, get it shipped, unlock it and make a profit. How can it be the same price?
Sep 26th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Official pricing:
http://www.imod.co.za/iPhone-South-Africa-Price-List.pdf
(and vodacom even put the words “Promotion” right there at the top!!!)
Sep 26th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Hi Mozami, I’ve updated your link with a proper PDF file, hope you don’t mind mate :)
Sep 26th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Hey Guys,
Just purchased a 16gb from the Apple store in Claremont for R7500 on prepaid… I was on my way to cellucity at Cavendish to pay R8500 when I thought I would pop in at Project 3 and buy a cover… so glad I did. The guys at the Apple store said that there is no restrictions on pricing so shop around before you go straight to vodacom!
Now I’m off to watch my very beatiful iPhone, in its very sexy hard red case, update all my music and photos!
Sep 26th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
That’s really interesting Bron, thanks for coming along and sharing that! I worry that the same thing will happen here as it did in Canada, where shops over priced the devices and therefore Apple pulled the distribution rights, let’s hope that isn’t the case!
Enjoy your phone! Remember, you can download iPhone Applications at http://www.iphoneapplications.co.za :)
Sep 26th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
No ways am i getting an iphone for about 7thousands!! I would rather get a ps3, or a new laptop, no ways, sorry. . . But the long wait was for nothing
Sep 27th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
@George – I agree bud, waaaay over priced, quite a let down indeed :/
Sep 27th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Sitting here with one in my hand… the wait was defintly worth it!
Sep 29th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Sure is nice ‘listening’ to ur conversations.
I say, If da phone is 4 u – get it. If not, don’t. Moaning is sure not gonna ‘fix’ those prices.
Good for you Bron, i’m jealous..
but i agree with George.. for that price – for now @least, i’ll settle for a new laptop and as for the iphone – she sure is a beauty.. no matter what coulor!
Sep 29th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I would really love to buy one, but I just can’t imagine paying that sort of money. It’s a stunning phone and I could afford it, but wow, it’s steep! :(
Sep 29th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
It’s just another PHONE!!! I’d rather buy myself a decent laptop! Imagine the expensive sound that thing will make if you drop it!!
Sep 29th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
A friend of mine got one delivered this morning, won it on a competition in Huisgenoot…
Sep 29th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I think if you drop it it will sound like this: “CHING, ching, ching, ching…”
Sep 29th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
HAHA Merlin, good one :)
Sep 30th, 2008 at 2:54 am
…& what would the person dropping it sound like Merlin?
Jul 17th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
please i need help with my Iphone. i erased all settings and data on it so im looking for somenoe who can fix it.
Jul 17th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
@leshabe – Where are you located? Cape Town?