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SINGAPORE: Apple has unveiled its latest generation of iPhone in the US.
But consumers in Singapore will have to wait a little longer before it hits the stores here.
The three telcos, M1, SingTel and StarHub say they expect to offer iPhone 4 in the coming months.
The device is expected to retail at 199 US dollars when it is launched in the US.
It is not immediately clear how much iPhone 4 would cost in Singapore.
But analysts say it will be priced close to the current iPhone 3GS model, which could cost up to S$658 or S$668, depending on the different subscription plans offered by the three telcos.
Market watchers also believe Apple will offer the new iPhone to all the telcos, steering away from the exclusive-deal business model.
This will help the company achieve higher sales volume to regain market share from Google's Android phones.
Industry reports say that the Android is slowly taking over Apple's position in the smartphone market.
In the first quarter this year, the Android sold five million units in the US compared to Apple's eight million.
Analysts expect the local take-up rate of the iPhone 4 to be healthy.
One in three smartphones taken up in Singapore is an iPhone.
Apple will stagger the release dates of iPhone 4 in July for 18 countries and August for 24 countries.
- CNA/ir
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