SaudiMac Saudi Apple Macintosh Users
Update: Mobily has fixed their iPhone page to correctly display iPhone 3GS. “The wait is over, and the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet is now available to pre-order exclusively from Mobily. Book your iPhone 3GS now to ensure being the first to recieve it on launch day.”
Mobily’s iPhone page got updated today, now it doesn’t even mention the iPhone 3GS but instead it adds a form for ordering the iPhone.
The website now includes the following: “Now officially in Saudi Arabia. Be the first to get it from Mobily, the only official provider with full support from Apple”. This is the same form used back in February when the iPhone 3G was released. I guess Mobily was lazy.
Good news: first of all we are back online! server had a drive failure! But as you can see the data is safe!
second, the iPhone 3GS should be out by Mobily this Saturday November 7th! Only to those who reserved an iPhone 3GS using the form!
http://www.saudimac.com/2008/08/07/mobily-iphone-3gs-release-date-and-price/
okay, looks like we are having a server problem … or a time machine
Still waiting for my PIN. Supposedly you will get a PIN from Mobily after you’ve cliked on the activation email to verify your booking/email. Wonder if they will launch it in 2 days time. Let’s hope so, otherwise I’ll have to depend on my E61 for the next month or 2 which is not good.
me too. i got the email from mobily and when i clicked the activation link but i wan’s able to get the pin
Any word on prices?
closest info we have is UAE Etisalat pricing
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/10/24/uae-etisalat-to-launch-iphone-3gs-27th-of-october/
So Khaled, is it confirm for the 27th? Reading the word “in coming months” in their press release doesn’t sound too promising
Mobily isn’t transparent about it.
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/07/28/issues-with-the-saudi-iphone-2-mobily-support/
Thanks for the feedback Khaled, got my order number already so let’s hope they launch it soon. I hope they sell it close to what Etisalat is selling. I’m assuming the price quoted for Etisalat are for the no-contract prepaid version right?
any ideas whether it will be Factory Unlocked or not? apparently the apple website still says its factory unlocked
so we assume it’s factory unlocked unless proven otherwise
apple dont realy care about middle east, so they RARELY update their website… so im not 100% sure if its unlocked or not
Apple still lists the UAE page as a Saudi page
http://www.apple.com/ae/buy/
Time to empty our pocktes guys! I already applied online and hopefuly i”ll get my iPhone 3GS on the launching day itself 😉
take pictures when you do 🙂
Unlocked or not its not clear.can anyone be kind enough to email apple customer support and ask if its carrier locked or not?
We already established that it is unlocked
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/03/01/official-from-apple-iphone-3g-in-saudi-arabia-is-unlocked/
I was reffering to Iphone3GS from mobily which is to be launched.ill email apple and see if they reply to confirm whether it will be locked to carrier or not and will keep you posted of any development.Thanks Khaled.
Good luck having Apple respond to you 😉
Just keep looking at this page
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937
doesnt CITC ban all operators from locking phones?
I can’t find it, but CITC doesn’t allow locked phones.
So again, nothing will change, the iPhone 3G was NOT LOCKED (even though Mobily employees tell you otherwise)
I have serious doubts that they will launch it tomorrow. I mean, it’s too quiet. No billboard, nothing in their website, no press release. This is not how you do an expectation build-up. I pray that it’s tomorrow since I have my order number already but rationally speaking … I just don’t think this will happen tomorrow.
Please read this about the iPhone 3G launch back in February
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/02/25/iphone-and-mobily-a-world-of-oddity/
Maybe it has something to do with the press released mentioning that the iPhone 3GS will be “be available to qualifying customers†but again, what defines qualifying customers?
“Qualified customer” means that you must have Mobily account and that you must be a legal Saudi citizen right?
How about me that is not a Saudi citizen but I’ve got a confirmation by providing my Iqama number 🙂
of course, I expect all Mobily customers can at least get the 99sr plan
How much will it be? anybody knows the price range?
I guess we have to wait until the launching date comes.
yeah, we have to wait and see.
I think the qualified customer is the person having the order number sent by mobily via sms
could also be for VIP, they did it before
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/03/02/iphone-3g-with-mobily-only-for-vip/
Let’s hope Mohammed Gibran is right about the qualifying customers coz I got my order number yesterday. Got the money, now waiting for the Launch Day? I wonder if mobily will send an sms informing you about the Launch Date.
If you got the request number then you should have read that it will inform you about the launch date 😉
Well they have mentioned in the sms that they will inform us once the phone is available.
i dont like mobily at all!!!
the good thing is that the iPhone is not locked, so you can use it with STC/Zain if you want
Or for me in the Philippines 😉
Like it or not, have to buy legal iphone from them….
yeah, your other options are:
1. ask a friend to buy from outside KSA, no easy warranty.
2. buy from a store like Axiom, as you can see in the following link, they provide only software support and sell jailbroken/unlocked iPhone 3GS: http://www.saudimac.com/2009/10/08/axiom-iphone-3gs-deceiving-the-consumer-mobily-apple/
3. buy from a company that says they have their own full warranty: itechia, mashail khaleej and others.
I just hope they do not price the phone like axiom did ….
we have to ask them
I dont think u need to be a saudi citizen cause when u r booking iphone they are asking ur saudi id no or iqama no , so citizenship not the case i guess, however just spoke to mobily customer care, they dont have any idea about the 3gs surely not gonna launch tom …..
Hey Khaled, guess what? I asked about whether the phone wil be unlocked or not, and the answer is..
Read here >> http://bit.ly/14YhJO
-question asked by me @ post 10
-answer @ post 14
I think it’s really a solid indication and a good news 🙂
Translation:
Post 10:
is the iPhone locked or not?
Post 14 (by a mobily employee):
The iPhone 3GS will be sold contract-free, the employee also said that he doesn’t know that it is locked or not.
I still believe that it is unlocked. Also, it appears they are still ignorant about the iPhone features 🙁
Hahaha! They should have at least read some articles regarding iPhones if not conduct seminars for their employees so they wont look stupid to customers who are knowledgable on iPhone simply selling them without the proper knowledge on what you are selling is the dumbest thing IMHO
indeed Mohd.s these are great news !!
Uh, can someone romanize the webpage that Mohd.S has given? Thanks. (^_^)v
I’m so excited that the 3GS will finally be available here in the kingdom.
Morning, it’s the 27th and it’s not looking like launch day. Was planning to have a night out with friends by going to Mobily store … darn.
do you have to have a mobily number to be able to pre order in mobily?
what if you have a pre order then decided to cancel it because the price is ridiculously high than what we expected?
Then you can opt not to go to Mobily store. Hey! This is a free world we have the choice what to buy and what’s not right? 🙂
Some of my friends were on STC and they were able to book the phone. I can’t confirm if they managed to ger the order number but I suspect they managed get that as well.
Well really disappointed, thought could buy the phone today, guess have to wait for few more days, question is how many ?
hehe, still, you have to provide your details there, iqama # specially… guess i will just wait for what is the actual price… been waiting for months, and i can still wait…. the excitement is getting low… patience is a virtue they say…
thanks for the reply…
Can any of our brothers in UAE confirm if the 3GS is unlocked…Damn u Mobily – make us wait for ever and still wait for a bit more – damn damn.
Yes please UAE ppl kindly check if its unlocked or no? And Khaled plz try and get some information about launch day of 3GS in great saudi arabia
In etisalat website they have mentioned the standalone device rates, does that mean we can buy it and use it with any sim and in any country ? ??
I guess “in coming months” meant 2010 …. need to get someone going to Dubai to get me the 3Gs from Etisalat then since Mobily’s been “dropped” by Etisalat UAE.
UAE launched its 3GS 10 days after the booking period, so Mobily will probably launch the 3GS in nov 4 which is 10 days after Oct 25 were they enabled ordering iphones!!
At this point, I won’t believe any dates. I mean, it was supposed to be August 9th, then September then October 17th, then October 27th. Now it’s “in coming months”. As what Khaled usually say … Mobily manages to screw a lot of things up.
yeah, just make sure that you fill the order form.
oh yeah!!! it screws way more than LOT of things – any of our brother coming in from Dubai to Jeddah would love to get an iPhone from Dubai.
if you are in a hurry ask him to buy it from Etisalat, they are selling the iPhone 3GS without any bundles.
hmmm – will have to see if anyone is comin in from dubai – anyways i would be using this is iphone in the 3 UK network so i dont need the bundles.have a nice data plan on it – heard tethering works as well – have to check.
If you’re gonna use it in the UK, you better buy it from here (or UAE) fo an unlocked iphone. Then just pop in the the UK sim O2 (Vodafone, 3, and Orange soon). Then you’re off.
Tethering is not supported by neither Mobily nor Etisalat. So enjoy it over there !
thanx tiga – thats the plan – that y i waited so long to get the 3GS
Just came back from Mobily, they said maybe by 1st Nov. it’ll be available, and nothing about the prices yet. This is really getting Boring
You know, for some reason I guess it’s gonna be on November 10th or later.
Whoever get the 3GS, please advise the software version preloaded is 3.1 or 3.0.1. In case of 3.1 or 3.1.2, tethering will not work from the first day itself.
Tethering is listed as an iPhone feature on mobily’s site:
http://j.mp/1f4JKs
even on the Arabic version of that page … as I said, lack of communications in that company
Mobily has to make an carrier update via itunes to officially support tethering; otherwise it will not work, although listed. Strangely the mobily customer service, whom I spoke with, has no idea what tethering is. She recommended me to go for mobily connect!!!
Yup, that’s all they need to do, a simple carrier update via iTunes, something I never got on my iPhone!
The many times i called Mobily to ask about tethering they told me the following:
1. install BADNET, he meant PDANET which is a jailbreak app!
2. google the answer! I think they wanted me to visit saudimac 😉
3. it is not supported by Mobily even though you can do it with every other phone (Mobily connect)
4. only the iPhone 3GS supports tethering and it is not available, whaa?!
Add to that: in each call they have no idea what “tethering” is. I deliberately try to pronounce and spell it a few times for them. I had to call it “using my iPhone as a modem” ….
hey khaled
will the old modified file not work with the mobily tethering – old mobileconfig file – did any of u try it?
Mobily ppl know nothing …..
initially i thought they r ignorant – no they r simply just INDIFFERENT – coz they just don’t care – they know we can get all the answers on the web – for people who don’t know – r not gonna use
i know a lot of people who have just gotten the iphone for “cool” factor – and then complain it is very difficult without keyboard
i usually tell them – bhai – please donate this pone to me – i will buy u a nice phone with keyboard like NOKIA 1100 1200 so on and so forth !!!!!
Mobily’s motto is ‘No Customer Service’.
It will take toll on them in the long run for disregarding us.
We will see what’s going to happen to them.
any news from mobily ?? :S damn i refresh this page every 10 mins to check if u got any new updates D:
I have been doing that since 26 oct , plz khaled try and get some information about it
me too – fffffffrustrating
me too, it takes them many months to do this, and now we are all still waiting for it.
i sold my iphone and iphone 3g in august, now its near november, its disgusting!…
guys we need news… we want information… wtf !!!
Based on a comment in the SaudiMac facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/saudimac ):
“I was told by Mobily employee that the iPhone 3GS will be released tomorrow, and from another employee that it will be released after two weeks,,, so if it is not tomorrow we still have to wait for another two weeks.”
fair enough.. D: thanks anyways man
It seems nothing but just another wild guess. Come on people, who trusts any Mobily employee??! They ‘re from Mobily! lol
about the price any body know?
nothing new… Soonâ„¢
love the TM on the soon – mobily must just change their name to Soon with the TM as well – so if u go ask visual voice mail – soonTM, tethering – soonTM, free MMS – soonTM, iphone3GS – soon-o-soonTMTM
mobily the soonTM network rocks totally
from where do u assume that iphone 3gs is unlocked???
here
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/03/01/official-from-apple-iphone-3g-in-saudi-arabia-is-unlocked/
ok i got it….the problem is this linkÂ
 and was Last Modified: on  October 31, 2009….actually when u see on asia pacific>>Malaysia…it’s same with saudi arabia uncheck on Locked to carrier
but actually in malaysia is LOCKED……
then something is wrong, go to the carrier and demand they unlock it
oh my god – the lameting continues with mobily – no news – im just guessing the 2 weeks later rumour is true – after all mobily site said comming soon 4 months in advance !!!!!
I think the 2 weeks is the nearest possible time to launch
Did anyone check mobily website . Booking of iphone 3gs option is not there anymore
it seems all units are booked or they failed negotiation with apple.
Or maybe the launch date is near that is why they are updating their web site in preparation for the 3GS 🙂
Yeah, it’s not there anymore. And instead of the 3GS showing, it’s back with the 3G.Â
or maybe its coz its Mobily.Period.
when is the last time they cared about us – hmm let me thinkl – hmmm hmm never????
yup i think i got the winning answer – yeah me !!!!
it’s about they don’t care, Mobily simply doesn’t know!!!!
they gave their employees almost no training when the iPhone 3G was released in February, they might do it again.
ha ha ha funny……………
maybe they saw our annoyance to them… hahaha… dont worry it will be back “soon”… well “i dont know”…. went to mobily again yesterday evening and the “i dont know” answer by the employee was the reply i received when i asked about the 3gs…
see you all in mobily stores for the iphone 3gs
hold on a second, mobily will release it soon becuz if u check the website they are offering iphone 3g 16gb to anyone and they will actually deliver it to u where ever u are in KSA, that means that they got some stock of 3g 16gb that they want tot sell before releasing the 3gs since apple system is sell 3g 8gb with 3gs 16-32gb so they dont realy care about the 3g 8gb stock becuz they can sell these with 3gs but they want to get rid of 16gb since they cant sell it with 3gs … sorry for the shitty english but not in mood for essays XD
actually it’s an old version of the site, the ordering system failed on Mobily 🙂
that rly sux, they rly dont want us to go beg them to release it.. dont they ? or maybe they do want to go beg them.. possibly that should work …! :@ i hate mobily.. STC all the way
FFFFFFFF#%$$%#@@%^#@%^!!!!!!!
THEY PUT IT BACK TO 3G!?
WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE SITE?
screw mobily, when this short eid holiday comes. im going to dubai to get it from etisalat.
damn you mobily!
i mean seriously! what the sh#t?
its like they are trying to suck.
zain FTW.
i think zain is getting the iphone, thats why mobly is getting screwed.
they are getting screw’d BY zain, there…
i cleared that.
it looks like u r better off doing that – mobily truely suck big time – not that their other services are worth writing home about…..
so true.
I suggest calling mobily phone support and telling them that 😉
mobily SUPPORT – hmm whatever that may be i wonder !!!!!
I heard that mobily is in talks with a store about providing support!
the ordering system is up again on mobily’s website.
Another update:
iPhone 3GS in Saudi Arabia on November 7th
if you did not receive an SMS from mobily then you might have a problem with your pre-order!
Received mine Khaled 🙂 Hope I can get the 3GS tomorrow
That’s all bulls***. I got the 32GB Black 3GS without any issues or the pin. Mobily just created a hype with the registration and pin thing to get the local population worked up so that people pick up the stuff thats it. I saw a bunch of guys show up along with me and get the iPhone 3GS without the pin. I got one too.
yes, Lyer, I suspected that as well. Mobily is taking the orders so they can claim they had x number of orders. Here’s a news items from February:
25,000 signed up for the iPhone 3G in Saudi Arabia
http://www.saudimac.com/2009/02/23/25000-signed-up-for-the-iphone-3g-in-saudi-arabia/