iPhone comes calling to Chennai

Chennai, Aug 22: From California to Chennai, Steve Jobs's 3G iPhone's ringtones have made it to the young hearts of this conservative city with its launch at the stroke of midnight by leading GSM operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone.

The response has sure been overwhelming. According to Bharti Airtel Mobile Service, Tamil Nadu, CEO Rajiv Rajagopal, nearly two lakh people across India had registered for iPhones, with more than 60 per cent from the metros, including Chennai.

For Vodafone, it made calls to the few first comers who registered for Job's 'Apple of the eye'.

The Rs 30,000-plus phone came in two models, with 8GB and 16GB storage. Its features include sleek looks, large touchscreen with very high resolution and multimedia applications.

GPS mapping, fast wireless access and a desktop class web browser promises to make the offer even more interesting.

But the flip side is India is yet to roll out its 3G network, a fact which most ignored when they booked for an iPhone.

Bharti Airtel made the launch memorable by inviting a host of celebrities for the occasion.

Crown Prince of Arcot Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali received the first iPhone from Playback Singer S P Balasubramaniam, Actor Prasanna and Mr Rajagopal.

The phone will be available in 84 stores across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, promised Mr Rajagopal. For bookings, customers can SMS with keyword iphone to 54321 or log on to www.airtel.in/iphone3g/ to book the phone in advance.

UNI