Apple digs its own grave: The iPhone3G in India

I have been watching eagerly for the Apple iPhone3G in India. I was one of the millions who pre-booked on both Vodaphone and Airtel websites. I was disgusted to receive a mail on 20 Aug 08 from both Airtel and Vodaphone exhorting me to deposit Rs 5000 and Rs 10000 respectively to get my hands on the "iPhone that Ive been waiting for". The email also innocently mentioned that the iPhones are priced at Rs 31000 ($715) and Rs 36000 ($830) for the 8GB and 16GB models!!!
Now what kind of fools do they think we are? The questions that first occured to me were:-

Would I buy a phone that:

a) costs Rs 31000 and upwards

b) does not let you use Bluetooth for anything but headset

c) does not have any memory expansion slot

d) does not let you change the Battery

e) does not let you sync if you are on a Linux desktop?

f) Has 3G capability but wont be useful for about 2 years since there are no 3G networks in India.

g) Is network-locked to Airtel or Vodaphone

My response was a overwhelming NO to all of the above.

Why couldnt the so-called business brains at Vodaphone and Airtel use their brains for once? Every Marketing/Strategy person worth his salt knows that India is a volume-based market. Did Airtel not want to convert even .01% of their 60mn plus users?

Even more hilarious was the statement by a Vodaphone chappie who says that prices are expected to fall in the coming months!! Well Mr Vodaphone, who would then buy now?

Apple could have done well with retailing the phone through Reliance because, whatever said and done (mama-he-pinched-me style of corporate governance notwithstanding) , these guys have mastered the art of commoditising everything in India.

So I would never think of giving up my HTC-Touch/Nokia E71/Blackberry/Your-favorite-Phone for the iPhone unless it sells at 10-12k.