[ontheroad]

Any idea when the iphone will be available in Hong Kong?

[vmlinuz]

I would make a guess that it will be available somewhat soon after release - once someone's worked out how to unlock them from Cingular - but that it'll be very very very expensive. Also note that at least some of the functionality - 'visual voicemail' is what comes to mind - will depend on operator support which you're unlikely to get around here...

[Meriadoc]

I haven't been able to find anywhere that the iphone can actually take a SIM card, although thankfully it is GSM to begin with. I suspect that it's a completely sealed unit like the ipod, so the SIM might be trapped inside.

It's such a pity that the sad state of the wireless industry in the US (carrier owns the customer relationship) that this phone wasn't just a straight out unlocked GSM handset like any new Nokia.

[TaLL|dUdE]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Any idea when the iphone will be available in Hong Kong?

on the keynote it was stated that it would be released in June c/o Cingular wireless... 4th quarter of 2007 for Europe and 2008 for Asia.... bummer

[discobay]

Is it possible that the visual voicemail is a phone function and not network-based.

[MrMoo]

Originally Posted by discobay

Is it possible that the visual voicemail is a phone function and not network-based.

Cingular had to change its network for the iPhone, similar will have to occur to other networks.

Lack of 3G is really bad if you ever travel to Japan, but the market seems to have more advanced GSM phones than 3G (Moto Ming, Samsung SGH-X838, etc).

[discobay]

Originally Posted by MrMoo

Lack of 3G is really bad if you ever travel to Japan, but the market seems to have more advanced GSM phones than 3G (Moto Ming, Samsung SGH-X838, etc).

Do you mean that the Japanese use GSM?

[MrMoo]

Originally Posted by discobay

Do you mean that the Japanese use GSM?

Japan uses its own PDC or J-DC, and 3G.

That means even tri-band or quad-band GSM phones do not work in Japan. So the iPhone will not work in Japan: so not very advanced.

[discobay]

As I understand it you need a 3G phone that runs on WCDMA to work in Japan.

[Krad]

Japan has it's own protocol, I'm pretty sure. And I'm pretty sure the reason Apple is partnering with Cingular, is that they're the only provider that uses SIM cards in the US. All the other providers still program the phones directly.

Also, from what I remember reading, the SIM card just slides in from the top, so you can eject and change SIM cards. I want to know why Asia doesn't get one till 2008 though.