Egypt will not NOT have the iPhone released
As many of you don’t know unless they’ve been to Egypt or are Egyptian, the famous Nokia n95 is banned in Egypt, the reason is because of its GPS capabilities.
Now, a reader left me a comment yesterday (Thanks Bassel) saying:
There is one little problem regarding the introduction of iPhone 3g into the Egyptian market through a legitimate channel such as being subsidized by Mobinil or Vodafone; it is GPS.
Owning a GPS device is illegal in Egypt. The N95 has been banned from entering Egypt. It has of course been smuggled and sold on the black market, but in no way been sold through any official outlet.
That is why I believe apple do still have a long way negotiating with the Egyptian ministry of communications before the iPhone can be released through mobile carriers.
Until then, if and when an unlocking trick comes out, iPhone 3G will be sold illegally on the black market as well.
Well, this is sad news! It is even common in all mobile stores in Jordan, whenever an Egyptian enters or they hear of someone traveling to Egypt, they recommend buying the n95 because it is banned in Egypt and you can probably sell it for a good price or give it as a valuable gift.
So let me get it straight, the Nokia N95 is not sold in Egypt neither the iPhone, none of the distributors have it on sale because it has been banned by the government because it has GPS.
All GPS devices are illegal in Egypt. Yes, lots of people own them and use them, but they are illegal. A lot of people have radar detectors which are illegal, yet they own them and use them.
Owning and using something is sometimes not relevant to whether it is legal or not.
Now this is messed up! Anyways, according to Apple’s website, the iPhone will be available at Orange (which is Mobinil / Orange Egypt) and Vodafone locations across Egypt. Which means there’s probably one near you.
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[...] Iphone Questions wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt… the reason is because of its GPS capabilities. Now, a reader left me a comment yesterday (Thanks Bassel) saying: There is one little problem regarding the introduction of iPhone 3g into the Egyptian market through […] [...]
You picked the right sentence to be in bold! Maleesh da3wa! I’m getting one anyway!
can’t wait until i get my hands on one..
by the way love the site…keep up the good work mate!
Why the hell is GPS banned in Eygept?
Apple will STILL have to negotiate with the Egyptian Ministry of Communications?
If Apple is not ready to release the iPhone 3G in Egypt, I don’t think they would have announced that last June. Steve Jobs would never announce something he’s not sure of, or not ready to do. So probably those “negotiations” with the Egyptian Ministry of Communications were done long time ago and they were given the green light to introduce the iPhone 3G in Egypt.
It’d just be very stupid of Steve Jobs if those negotiations were not done before announcing the release of iPhone 3G in other countries before the end of the year…
Amjad; they won’t agree, the cars come without the function as well, I think Apple had to release a customized version of the software.
:: Banned coz of GPS ?! so they also block google earth ! and why N95? E90 has a GPS E series has also GPS
they’re all banned or modified not to have it.
N95 isn’t sold through the official outlets, but its sold through all other shops and there’s no problem… There’s no extra price for being banned or anything.
For the iPhone, everyone buys it unlocked, and no one cares to get it through Orange or Vodafone because the packages are silly…
GPS is banned in Egypt for “security reasons” and something that has to do with counter terrorism bla bla bla… but anyways I know people who use GPS systems in their cars and they have no problems if they get caught with them,
(and I’m planning to install one too)
Its just a stupid law that no one cares to follow (as usual) lol… Its no big deal haha
“As many of you don’t know unless they’ve been to Egypt or are Egyptian.”
I’m Egyptian, and I didn’t know.
Now you do
i think that’s right it may be banded but lets hope and also i think that they will enter the GPS devices soon or later so let’s hope to be soon yarab
Yo Moey, thanks for quoting me in your post there and helping bump my popularity
As we wait for any news on the iphone being launched, i don’t wanna sound as the all-time pessimist regarding the subject, but I just wanted to point your attention to something interesting.
On the iphone countries rollout page http://www.apple.com/iphone/countries/
there is little sentence that caught my attention as I regularly checked the page for updates.
It reads “Country availability and rollout schedule are subject to change.”
I wanted to bolden ‘Country Availability’ here, but I couldn’t.
I really really can’t wait to see the iphone 3g released here in Egypt!
A little research on the market and you’ll find that many GPS enabled phones are sold in Egypt legally but with a disabled GPS chip. So the chip is there but the phone OS can’t use it. And this is exactly what Apple will do to release the phone in Egypt.
HI ALL … THE IPHONE 3G IS NOW AVAILABLE IN SERAG MALL (3) I ASKED ABOUT THE PRISE..AND THEY TOLD ME 5000 L.E UNLOCKED ONE … BUT I DON’T KNOW IS IT WORTH TO BUY IT OR NOT … PLZ CAN ANY ONE HELP ME ..I DON’T KNOW IS IT BETTER TO BUY IT FROM HERE (EGYPT) 5000L.E UNLOCKED? OR BUY ONE FROM AMERICA AND THEN I CAN UNLOCK IT FOR 100L.E .. THANKS, WISH FOR U ALL HAVE A BEUTIFUL IPHONE 3G
SRY 4 MY STUPID WEAK ENGLISH.
Yeah, and the N95 isn’t banned anymore, its available at i2 and Axiom.
=D
And GPS is working fine on it…
I’ll have to check for the iPhone being sold in Serag Mall. But actually it’s quite doable, an Apple retailer sold the 1st Gen iPhones for almost a year now for roughly the same price, actually it went on sale for quite sometime in Compume stores for 4400. As for the GPS the N95 is sold in some small mobile phone shops but without warranty and you have to know the seller so he can get it for you specially.
As others have said, I’ve heard that it will be sold with the GPS disabled. But the bigger problem is that, so far, you can’t access the iTunes app store in Egypt and without being able to access the apps, the iPhone just isn’t as appealing.
Check out Apple’s iPhone in Egypt webpage at http://www.apple.com/iphone/countries/eg/, you’ll find all instances of GPS deleted.
As for the iTunes app store, I think diptychal is right, it won’t open here, at least in the near future.
Suddenly the iPhone sounds less appealing,
I’m glad to find your source. Good news. I’ll become your regular visitor.
I was going to buy the Iphone,then i was having trouble getting one due to all those confusing factors. So i said screw it, and got myself an N82. Sad2ny, ensaha, its much better frm waiting half your life to be disappointed that the GPS has been locked or you can download apps. Whatever it is. I don’t get WTF apple is doing right now, i really don’t…
Sorry, I just realized something that’s very important. Now im 100% sure it will be sold without GPS :(. If you go to the iphone link for Egypt (at http://www.apple.com/iphone/countries/eg/ ) it says at the bottom “Maps” only, nothing about GPS was mentioned. Now if you go to any other country, try eg Jordan (at http://www.apple.com/iphone/countries/jo/ ) It says “Maps with GPS”. This means that its true that it will be sold with GPS disabled, or not even included in the hardware. Will apple release specially disabled iphones for Egypt?
Sorry guys :S, ma3lesh. Soon there will be proper software unlocking methods.
[...] now I’m not so sure I’m willing to get one after all. (That’s if it actually ever makes it to Egypt legally). Between hearing stories about Apple’s stranglehold over their App Store, about how Apple [...]
Yo, you beat me to it! I was just about to announce I’m abandoning the iPhone. I am sorry dudes, sorry Moey, I am now almost sure I am giving up on the much-anticipated, much awaited, much hyped, and I think (with all the problems arising ever since it’s launch), the much overvalued iPhone!
Yet I’m not giving away my good old K-JAM for a Nokia, not in a million years! News of the soon release of the Android powered HTC DREAM G1 have been making my days for over 2 weeks now. I will be watching closely as developments unfold, and as early adoptors and testers make their judgement.
But you can hear me say it already, I’m 90% sure I’m going for a G1 as soon as it comes out.
Apple, you’ve wasted a lot of time and came short on many expectations; you could have had us at “Hello!”, but it’s too late now.
GUYS !! … I HAVE A JOKE FOR U ALL … THE IPHONE NOW IN SERAG MALL (UNLOCKED) ((9300L.E)) LOL THAT’S CRAAZYY !!! MEN EL AKHER IPHONE3G + EGYPT = SYNTAX ERROR .:)
e7na a7′erna “3ayz nokia ro7 le raya”
Allah yer7amo el Ericsson 688
HAHAHA … LOL MAN U R RIGH ABOUT THIS :D:D:D
The G1 official release is now slated for Tuesday 23/09/08 10:30am EDT. Can hardly wait to see hands on videos, and decide whether it will be an iPhone 3G dealbreaker or not.
We’ll all see.
well, I’m Egyptian and I happened to be in Egypt but never heard of such news regard banning the iPhone in Egypt.
Actually, Vodafone dedicated a subdomain especially for the iPhone http://iphone.vodafone.com.eg + Apple promoted its phone on “Asaf 3ala Al-Ez3aj” a comedy by Ahmad Helmy.
After i upgrade my Iphone 1st Gen to the new firmware 2.1, I found a hidden menu under Setting>Phone>Vodafone Services, and there is button called Vodafone, When you click .. it direct you to
http://iphone-home.vodafone.com.eg,
which redirect to the same link that TripleM mentioned.
iPhone Soon in Egypt…
dude the iphone 3G isnt gna be banned in egypt..
i am egyptian and my uncle works in apple and he says tht it will come out in 2-3 weeks so i believe tht it will come out in Apple Stores in egypt..
but yes i agree… there might be a chance tht they will remove GPS from iPhone but i think it is 2 l8 for tht now
Ain’t I always happy to be the bringer of happy news.
First check this: http://dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=17624
And now, this is big, check vodafone’s site again: http://iphone.vodafone.com.eg
The wait is soon to be over, and the GPS fate to be unveiled.
Mobinil and Vodafone Egypt have announced that iphone will be available soon in their stores, they are now offering pre-registration on their websites for people interested in the iphone, and both companies will contact registered people once the iphone becomes available.
The iPhone will be officially out tomorrow (14/11/2008) at Vodafone and Mobinil shops across Egypt. The News is official on their websites and has been advertised on sms and radio. From the Mobinil website, the 8GB sells for EGP 3,800 and the 16GB for EGP 4,450. (White and Black available)
There was no word of any plans attached to the deals, and I personally doubt at these prices they would dare to have any strings attached! (phones still carrier locked ofcourse)
Well… now the next step would be to get one, and figure out how to get the GPS up and running.