The iPhone 4 is officially coming to Malta “soon”, but no definitive date has been announced as interest in the latest version of Apple’s iconic smartphone has been so consistent locally that Vodafone has already introduced the micro-SIM, a smaller version of the SIM card to fit it.

Vodafone is the only network in Malta authorised by Apple to sell and support the iPhone.

“Vodafone has already put up a pre-registration site for the iPhone 4,” Robert Cassar, terminals senior executive at the mobile operator, told i-Tech. “Vodafone successfully launched the iPhone 3G in 2008, the iPhone 3GS in 2009 and is looking forward to launching the iPhone 4 this year.”

To register Vodafone clients should visit www.vodafone.com.mt//coming-soon.

i-Tech attempted to contact Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, for more information on a possible date for iPhone’s official launch in Malta but received no reply as yet.

iPhone 4 features FaceTime, which makes video calling as easy as one tap; Apple’s new retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone; and an all-new design of glass and stainless steel that is the thinnest smartphone in the world. It also features a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, HD 720p video recording, Apple’s A4 processor, a 3-axis gyro and up to 40 per cent longer talk time.

iPhone 4 comes with iOS 4, the latest version of the iPhone’s mobile operating system which features multitasking, folders, enhanced mail, deeper enterprise support and Apple’s new iAd mobile advertising platform. iOS 4 is also available free of charge for the older models of the iPhone but some of these features may be restricted.When Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs launched iPhone 4 in early June he said it would be available in 88 countries by the end of September. However, only the countries that were to have it by the end of July were specifically mentioned by name.

This left i-Tech guessing that, given Malta’s track record, it would be among these 88 countries. Indeed Jobs mentioned Malta by name at the launch of the iPhone 3G in 2008. Given that Apple is barely coping with the high demand for the new model, the availability in Malta could move back by a few weeks into October.

While announcing the availability in 17 more countries at the end of July, Apple said that “iPhone 4 will roll out to many more countries later this year and Apple will announce availability and local pricing for these additional countries at a later date.”

It is up to Apple, and not mobile operators, to announce the launch of the smartphone in a particular country. At the time of going to print, Apple’s iPhone webpage for Malta still promoted the iPhone 3GS, the preceding model to version 4.

Reception problems on the iPhone 4 resulting from the way a user holds the device, known as the “grip of death”, have given Apple some bad press. The company however has a track record for its elegant and reliable hardware and this issue does not seem to have dented Maltese interest in this latest version of the iPhone.

In spite of the iPhone 4 not being officially available in Malta, i-Tech is aware that a good number of Maltese have already bought the model from Apple directly, from online stores or purchased one while abroad. The fact that iPhone 4 is available in a version that is not network-locked means it is easy to buy from abroad. After inserting a Maltese SIM card, owners are able to use it locally right away.

The only snag is that iPhone 4 takes the micro-SIM, a smaller version of the SIM card used in the majority of mobile and smartphone handsets.

Responding to the demands of Maltese iPhone 4 users, and in preparation of the official launch of the phone in Malta in the coming weeks, Vodafone has just introduced the micro-SIM in Malta.

Vodafone clients can swap their large SIM with the micro version for free from any Vodafone retail outlet.

However Mr Cassar insisted that the mobile company is not providing adapters so that the micro-SIM can also be inserted in mobile handsets that take the larger card format.

“Vodafone does not provide adaptors in alignment with the recommendations issued by a number of phone manufacturers. However, switching to a micro-SIM is more convenient and easy,” he explained.

Apple’s suggested price for the iPhone 4 in France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US is $199 (€156) for the 16GB model and $299 (€235) for the 32GB model. However mobile companies usually sell such smartphones as part of a communications package that includes voice and data. The older 3GS model on its own and without any pay plan is still selling anywhere from €600 upwards in Malta.

In the meantime Apple has also launched a new device, the 10-inch iPad tablet, which has caused a stir on the international scene and has prompted computer hardware manufacturers around the world to ride what seems to be a new wave of touch-screen tablet computers like the iPad. The first casualty of this wave is the mini laptop or netbook, a hit over the last two years or so.

When i-Tech asked Vodafone Malta for a date, the reply was: “Plans for the iPad will be announced soon”.

i-Tech is informed that iPad should be officially launched in Malta later than iPhone 4, possibly towards the end of this year. By that time Apple’s competitors would have already launched or announced plans for their own tablet devices based on anything from Microsoft’s Windows mobile version to Google’s Android operating system.

iPad is already available from some Maltese retailers (at a higher price than Apple’s UK online store) and from foreign online retailers. Those who cannot afford the €800+ price tag for the full-featured 64GB iPad can always try to buy a Chinese-made lower-quality clone with Android for a couple of hundred euro from eBay.

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