One of the key features is the Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) which can home into a location faster with the help of cellular towers. Google Maps comes pre-installed, and while it doesn’t provide turn-by-turn route guidance or voice-assisted driving directions in India, it is an exceptional software. Here, the iPhone will remain no more than a location-aware smartphone, and not a dedicated GPS device, until detailed GPS maps are released and made available for usage on the phone.

GETTING READY FOR THE GIANT
To help its customers make a smooth transition into the new technology, Airtel has trained over 3,000 people in sales and services to ensure that their “customers get the best out of their iPhones”. “It was a one month process. We have trained employees, promoters, Airtel Relationship Centres and other staff to make sure everything goes off smoothly,” says Saurav Mustafi of Airtel. According to him, the only drawback to not having 3G in India is that everything will run a little slower. “3G is only third generation enhanced data transfer speed technology. Since we do not have it in India, you can use all applications using Wifi or EDGE. The only difference you will see is in speed.”

THE DAMPENERS
But the iPhone is not exactly revolutionary, as many basic functions are still missing. Though the iPhone can now read PowerPoint, pages, numbers, and keynote documents, functions like cut, copy, paste are still missing. Despite the bigger battery drain, it still doesn’t have an easily replaceable battery. Also missing are MMS, the ability to forward SMSes and expandable memory cards.
In addition, it is not your average Nokia that can easily take a tremendous amount of illtreatment and emerge unharmed. Mustafi has some words of caution, “The iPhone is precious and should be used with greater care.”
Moreover, it will come with network locks. “It is to make sure people have the right experience. All SIMs will come locked and for Airtel customers the phone comes embedded with AirtelLive, 500MB of data download free every month for the first year and applications such as Mobile Check. All these applications will be lost if the phone is unlocked,” says Kapoor.

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