A White Elephant?

So the iPhone 3G has finally launched! With Airtel and Vodafone going in for an unprecedented mid-night launch. But has it really generated the kind of interest that it generated when it was launched elsewhere (in the US, in Europe)? For starters, the price of the set is bound to be a dampener. The 8 GB model is priced at INR 31000 and the 16 GB at INR 36000. So the iPhone risks ending up as a luxury device that many can covet, but only a privileged few afford. But the pricing apart, there are a few other aspects too which put a question mark on whether the iPhone will really catch on in India. Here's a review in the Economic Times. But the question that begs to be asked is whether an iPhone owner will really be able to exploit it's features, when 3G roll-out in India is still quite a while away. For the iPhone is really a internet and multimedia device, that you can make calls using it is quite incidental! A few practical issues exist as well. The change of battery being the most crucial one. You can get the battery changed only at a service provider outlet (Airtel and Vodafone being the only ones currently). Now this does not seem like a tough thing to do, but Blackberry users will definitely tell you otherwise. Another reported issue is about call-dropping and battery life. And then of course the fact that you cannot forward messages! All this apart, the interface is really cool (especially the accelerometer, which is sure to enhance the mobile gaming experience)! But will this really drive me to buy the iPhone (assuming that I could afford one)? Well, probably not. But a few months to an year down the line... With 3G rolling out in India, and hopefully a lower price tag, and better features (forwarding of messages, better battery life)... Well, I might go for what I feel is a "White Elephant" right now...