iPhone calling Asia: Thinking grey market? Wait for Apple's official iPhone launch

If the news that the iPhone launch in Asia will only be in 2008 was not bad enough for the millions of Apple fans, here is a word of warning for all those in Asia planning to beat Apple to the race by looking to import an Apple iPhone and use it by getting it unlocked in the grey market.

Okay before I tell you the bad news, let me clarify that there has been no iPhone hacks that has been released so far which will let you unlock the iPhone to use it with your service provider. So far the only iPhone hack has been DVD Jon claiming to have developed a hack which will let you activate the iPhone without AT&T without the phone feature.

So getting back, the problem with getting an iPhone from the grey market is that if the battery fails for any reason, you will not be able to get a replacement from either the grey market or elsewhere, which means your approximately $750 (including the $50 say you shelled out for unlocking the phone), goes down the drain.

This is because Apple's iPhone battery replacement program requires that you to send the iPhone back to Apple in the US which you cannot if you have bought it from the grey market.

The iPhone currently works exclusively with an AT&T Sim card or whichever carrier they decide to partner with in the respective country. Customers have to pay both for the phone which ranges from $500 to $600 plus sign up a 2-year subscription contract (which will cost a minimum of US $ 59 a month) with AT&T.

Grey market dealers in many of the countries where the iPhone has not been launched are promising to offer an unlocked iPhone (some going as far to claim it will work on any network) for around $750 for the entry level model, but the battery replacement clause comes as a dampener.

Apple says the iPhone battery will last for 300 to 400 charges before performance will start to decline which generally is the case for any lithium-ion battery over time. Usually for other phones, you can get a replacement battery from a shop and change it yourself.

Incidentally, even for iPhone users in the US, Apple's battery replacement program will be an expensive affair. Apple will repair your iPhone for a service fee of $79, plus $6.95 shipping.

Besides, the repair process will clear all data from your iPhone and will take three business days. iPhone battery performance declining is probably a more longer term concern but in the short term if you have any other problems with the iPhone which will need it to be sent back to Apple in the US then your approximate $750 will go down the drain.

So I guess the conclusion is that it is wiser to wait for Apple to officially launch the iPhone in your country but if your passion to get your hands on the iPhone is so great that you do not mind losing the $750 then go for it.