Samsung Galaxy S III best-selling smartphone in Q3 2012

The Samsung Galaxy S III launched earlier this year has been breaking sales records, and sales of the handset recently touched the 30 million mark. In what may come as another feather in its hat, an announcement by research firm Strategy Analytics states that the Samsung flagship smartphone has overtaken the iPhone 4S to become the top selling handset of the third quarter of 2012.

Strategy Analytics states that according to new research from its Country Share Tracker (CST) service, Samsung's Galaxy S III shipped 18 million units worldwide, overtaking Apple's iPhone 4S to become the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever in the third quarter of 2012. The Galaxy S III captured an 11 percent share of all smartphones shipped globally in the period. A large touchscreen, extensive distribution, and generous operator subsidies have put the Galaxy S III in the top spot.

According to Strategy Analytics, Apple shipped an estimated 16.2 million iPhone 4S units worldwide for second place, as consumers temporarily held off purchases in anticipation of the widely expected iPhone 5 at the end of the quarter.

The announcement concludes by stating that the Samsung Galaxy S III has proven popular with consumers and operators across North America, Europe, and Asia. However, the Galaxy S III's position as the world's best-selling smartphone model is likely to be short-lived. The Apple iPhone 5 has got a solid start already with an estimated 6.0 million units shipped globally during Q3 2012. Strategy Analytics states that it expects the new iPhone 5 to out-ship Samsung's Galaxy S III in the fourth quarter of 2012, and the iPhone should soon reclaim the title of the world's most popular smartphone model.

As per a post on the official Twitter page of Samsung in Poland, the brand has notched up sales of 30 million units of the S III. Samsung had first launched the handset in May, and in a few months, reached this impressive number. Samsung has employed an aggressive marketing strategy for its flagship model and it is reaping its benefits. The smartphone was heavily advertised at the London Olympics, and shortly after, Samsung launched it in a variety of colour options, increasing the customers' options from the original Pebble Blue and Marble White colours. In what comes as another major push for this smartphone, Samsung has recently announced the availability of some more colour options such as Spiral Black, Garnet Red, and Embassy Brown.

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the Samsung Galaxy S III:

• 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720
• 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi with DLNA support
• GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS,
• USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0
• 8MP camera with AF, LED flash, BSI sensor, and 1080p HD video recording
• 1.9 MP front facing camera with a resolution of 720p for video chat
• 16/ 32/ 64GB Internal memory, expandable up to 64GB

iPad mini available now from Rs 26,990 onwards

The iPad mini is now available for purchase, without any shipping charges levied. The dispatch time for the product ranges from 14 to 28 days, and the seller also offers a cash-on-delivery option depending on the buyers' location in India.

The iPad mini was first available in India for purchase through popular retailer eBay.in. The smaller iPad is now up for pre-order through another popular retail channel, Tradus.com at a price of Rs 26,990 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version.

The Tradus.com seller also has also listed the 32GB and 64GB model in the listings page with a price tag of Rs 34,990 and Rs 43,490 respectively.

When Apple announced the iPad mini, the base model, which is the 16GB W-Fi only variant was priced at US $329. That translates to roughly Rs 17,750, depending on the conversion rate of the US dollar. The eBay seller, who has a fairly good track record, is pricing it a lot higher than what it will cost overseas.  However, you would be able to get your hands on the iPad mini before it makes its way here officially.

When Apple announced the iPad mini, speaking at the widely covered event, Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing shared, “iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad.” Schiller went on to add that the “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life”.

The iPad mini has an aluminium and glass design 7.2mm thick, and weighs only 0.68 pounds. As per an official statement by Apple, the iPad mini has 35 percent more screen real estate than 7-inch tablets, and up to 67 percent more usable viewing area when browsing the web. The dual-core A5 chip on the iPad mini allows for responsive graphics and a multi-touch experience that Apple believes to be both, fast and fluid while still providing all-day battery life.

The iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5-megapixel iSight camera at the back, which allows for recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilisation and both cameras feature backside illumination, which Apple claims will allow users to capture great pictures in low light. The iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud’s Shared Photo Streams.

The iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi support for speeds up to 150Mbps, which Apple says is twice the Wi-Fi performance compared to previous the iPad models. The iPad mini is available in a Wi-Fi version and a cellular one, which are world-ready with built-in support for most wireless standards, including LTE and DC-HSDPA. The iPad mini data plans will be available sans contract; so users will be only required to sign up and activate service directly from their iPad. Using the Personal Hotspot feature you can share a fast cellular data connection via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB with up to five other devices such as the MacBook Pro, the iPod touch or another iPad.

Xbox 360 exclusive Halo 4 launched for Rs 3,299

Microsoft brings to India, Halo 4, its biggest sci-fi blockbuster of the season, marking the return of the Master Chief. Halo 4 will be available at retail stores across India on Tuesday, 6th November. The Halo 4 Standard Edition is for Rs 3,299 and Limited Edition for Rs 4,599.

Speaking at the launch of Halo 4, Anshu Mor, Business Group Lead, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft Corporation India, said, “We are delighted to launch the next edition of Halo - a game that has shaped entertainment history and defined a generation of gamers. There has been much anticipation around the return of Master Chief and gamers will revel in the storyline and gameplay in Halo 4. Let the Halo fever begin!” 

Developed by 343 Industries, Halo 4 marks the dawn of a new game series, the Reclaimer Saga, centered on the Master Chief as he  faces an ancient evil and a deadly new class of technologically advanced foes — the Prometheans. Master Chief sets out on an emotional journey fraught with personal demons and the most daunting challenges he’s ever faced. Featuring a darker and more personal story that reintroduces the iconic hero as a genuinely human character, Halo 4 sets players on a sci-fi voyage that will span the next decade of Halo games, across a three part trilogy.

Halo 4’s multiplayer offering through War Games, will take place on the Spartan training ship Infinity and will tie into the game's story. Halo 4 will come shipped with Forge toolset, the in-game map builder further enhanced from Halo 3. Allowing players to design their own multiplayer maps, the Forge toolset with three unique environments has the ability to alter any current and future War Games map.

Halo 4 also introduces the game's downloadable Spartan Ops mode. In this mode, as many as four gamers at a time can play through episodes around the Spartan Soldiers on board UNSC Infinity and their fight with the Prometheans. These episodes, divided into chapters, will be available for free download every week.

The Halo franchise of games is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox Live online entertainment network. To date, more than 46 million copies of Halo games have been sold worldwide, driving more than five billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox Live.

Back in October, Microsoft had revealed information on the game’s DLC and Season Pass. The Halo 4 War Games Map Pass is set to cost $25 (approximately Rs 1,341) and will include nine maps in total that will be released between December 2012 and April 2013. The map packs are set to cost $10 (approximately Rs 536) individually. An added bonus for those who purchase the Maps Pass is the inclusion of two in-game helmets called the Scanner and the Strider, and an in-game emblem – the Falcon. The Map Pass will be included in the Limited Edition of Halo 4.

3 million Galaxy Note II handsets sold since launch

Samsung recently announced that over three million units of the the Galaxy Note II phablet have been sold since it was first launched in September, 37 days ago.

Samsung has announced that the 5.5-inch smartphone is selling at three times the pace of the original Galaxy Note. 10 million units of the handset were sold across the globe since it was launched. To know more about the Galaxy Note II, read our review on this stylus-enabled smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy Note II features most of the specifications that had been written about in the past but Samsung has thrown in a new feature that can potentially change the way mobile phones are used nowadays. Apart from the fact that it features the Android v4.1 (Jelly Bean) out of the box, and is powered by a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, the major talking point about the Galaxy Note II is that it features an all-new Air View feature.

Here is a quick look at the specifications of the Galaxy Note II:

• 5.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with a 1280 x 720 pixel density
• 4G LTE, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi HT40, NFC
• GPS with GLONASS and A-GPS support
• Bluetooth v4.0 with USB 2.0 Host
• 8 megapixel AF/ Touchfocus camera, 1.9MP VT Camera, BSI front-facing camera
• 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions, all with expandable support up to 64GB
• 2GB RAM
• MHL for AV out

As per a recent report, South Korea-based mobile phone manufacturer, Samsung Electronics has shipped more units of smartphones than its rival Apple, in the third quarter of 2012, as per latest figures released by research firm IDC.
 
Samsung sold 56.3 million smartphones, including the Galaxy S III, in the period between July and September, amassing a share of 31.3 percent of the global market. Apple's sales, in stark comparison, accounted for 15 percent - less than half of Samsung's. Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM) with its popular line of smartphones, BlackBerry, is at the third position with a global share of 4.3 percent, while China-based ZTE came fourth with a global share of 4.2 percent. HTC came fifth with a global share of 4 percent.

This information comes close on the heels of Samsung's announcement that its July-September net profit nearly doubled to 6.56 trillion won ($5.97 billion) from 3.44 trillion won a year earlier. Samsung added that its revenue for the third quarter jumped 26 percent to 52.2 trillion won. As per reports, Samsung is estimated to have shipped roughly 18 million units of the Galaxy S III in the period, in comparison with the 26.9 million units of the iPhone shipped by Apple.

Nokia Lumia 510 available online for Rs 9,999

Nokia recently unveiled the Lumia 510 in India, and it has been touted as the cheapest Lumia yet. This handset was expected to come with a price tag of less than Rs 11,000. A listing on the retail website Flipkart now displays this Windows Phone 7.5 handset priced at Rs 9,999.

The handset is available for purchase, and there is no need to pre-order it. The delivery period mentioned by Flipkart for shipping the Lumia 510 is between six and eight working days. No delivery charges will be levied. The Nokia Lumia 510 comes with a manufacturer warranty of one year and a six-month warranty for the accessories that come with the box.

ver the past few weeks reports have indicated that a budget Lumia smartphone was in the works, and that it would be first launched in China. Out of nowhere, Nokia India teased an arithmetic problem on its official Facebook page, which indicated that the brand would unveil the Lumia 510 sooner than expected, and that India would be among the first countries to receive the handset. This budget Lumia is powered by an 800MHz single-core processor, and features 256MB of RAM. These details are on par with the specifications leaked earlier.

Apart from this, the handset features a 4-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and 4GB of internal memory. The handset will also come equipped with 7GB of cloud storage. The handset features a 5-megapixel rear camera, but unfortunately no front-facing camera. The smartphone uses a 1,300mAh battery that should offer a fairly good battery life. 

Besides the above mentioned features, Nokia has also preloaded the handset with a bundle of other Nokia powered apps such as Maps, Transport, and Drive. Three months of unlimited access to Nokia Music Nokia MixRadio will also be available for consumers of this handset. To enhance the camera abilities, Nokia has also given users the option to download Camera Extras.

With all current Lumia handsets that run on Windows Phone 7.5, this handset will be upgradable to Windows Phone 7.8 in the future. However, there is no clear indication on when that will happen.

For those who upgrade to the Windows Phone 7.8 platform, Nokia stated that it will deliver existing Lumia customers exclusive new Marketplace apps such as Camera Extras to bring new possibilities to the Lumia line up including panorama shots, a self-timer, Action Shot for capturing movement, and Smart Group Shot for creating the perfect group shot from several different images; new features for Nokia Drive and Nokia Transport; and also distributing a pattern of updates such as Wi-Fi tethering and flip-to-silence.

Handsets running the Windows Phone 7.8 operating system will not be able to get the Windows Phone 8 update. Nokia had stated that Lumia devices with Windows Phone 7.5 will be provided with updates to some of the new Windows Phone 8 features, such as the start screen. The devices will also be allowed to download new apps from companies such as Zynga, whose Words with Friends and Draw Something will be available by the third quarter of this year.

HTC One X+ launched in India for Rs 40,190

HTC today unveiled the HTC One X+ running the HTC Sense 4+ user interface (UI) on Android v4.1 Jelly Bean.

“We are taking the award-winning HTC One X to a new level with the introduction of the new HTC One X+,” said Faisal Siddiqui, Country Head, HTC India. “Our customers will have super-fast browsing, an even better camera and more immersive entertainment with Beats Audio.”

The HTC One X+ is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 AP37 processor. The company claims that the HTC One X+ is 27 percent faster than the HTC One X. The HTC One X+ enables quicker web browsing, fluid gaming and graphic rendering, and speedy downloads.

As per an official statement, the HTC One X+ houses a 2,100mAh battery, giving users up to 37 percent (4.7 hours) more talk time. In addition to 64GB of internal storage, the HTC One X+ also offers users 25GB of Dropbox storage free for two years, and supports expanded storage capabilities via USB.

Here's a quick look at the specs of the HTC One X+:

• 4.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution
• LTE, 3G, EDGE/GPRS, Wi-Fi (Hot spot), Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
• NFC, Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0
• GPS with A-GPS support
• 8 megapixel f/2.0 camera with LED flash, BSI sensor, 1.3 megapixel front camera
• Stereo FM Radio
• 64GB memory, 1GB RAM
• MHL for AV out

According to the statement by HTC, the newly launched Self Portrait mode on the front camera captures high quality photos by detecting the human face at various angles and applying enhancements to the skin and eyes. In the Sightseeing mode, one touch of the power button bypasses the lock screen and launches the camera. Two new Gallery views display images and videos, and group them according to the place and time at which they were taken.

Exclusively available on HTC smartphones is Beats Audio. Through Sense 4+, the HTC One X+ introduces a new Tap and Go function, which allows you to connect the phone and your music to Beats speakers.

HTC Connect and HTC Media Link HD expand media sharing and possibilities beyond your HTC smartphone. HTC Connect claims to set a new standard for streaming DLNA audio and video from your HTC One phone to platform-certified home entertainment systems from leading partners such as Pioneer.

With HTC Media Link HD, any HDMI-enabled TV can be used as a big screen, which can display content on your phone.  A new digital photo frame feature can save and display up to 30 photos in slide show mode. HTC Media Link HD also supports a growing number of popular codecs including HTTP Live Streaming.

“HTC understands that your smartphone isn’t just a communications gadget, but also the linchpin of today’s multimedia lifestyle,” noted Lennard Hoornik, President, South Asia, HTC Corporation. “We’ve made sharing your music and video content easier, better and bigger than ever before in a social and interactive way, so enjoy!”

A new feature in the HTC One X+ is HTC Get Started, a new web service that guides the user through the set-up and personalisation process from a desktop web browser. The user's phone will then reflect the settings and apps that were chosen on the web.

The HTC One X+ is available in Stealth Black and Polar White at an MOP (Best Buy) of Rs 40,190 from November 2012 onwards in India.

HTC 8X to launch in India for Rs 35,023

At a regional launch in Singapore, HTC has just announced the pricing of its flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone, the HTC 8X. This model will be available this month in India at a market operating price (MOP) of Rs 35,023. The HTC 8X features the new Windows Phone 8 operating system and Beats Audio. 

Speaking at the announcement of the brand’s first Windows Phone 8 handsets, the HTC 8X and 8S, Faisal Siddiqui, Country Head, HTC India, said, “Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world. We are confident that the iconic design and incredible innovation of the Windows Phone 8X and Windows Phone 8S by HTC will help consumers fully realize the potential and lifestyle benefits offered by these smartphones.”

At the announcement, HTC stated that it created the Windows Phone 8X to blend the virtual and the physical, utilising a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles.  The HTC 8X has a tapering body, which makes the handset look and feel thin. The handset is available in colours such as California Blue and Graphite Black in a matte finish. 

For the first time, HTC is introducing a 2.1MP, f/2.0 aperture, with an 88-degree ultra-wide angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people to be captured in the frame. It also supports 1080p video capture. The rear camera sports an 8MP sensor with backside-illumination (BSI) for low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, 28mm lens, and the dedicated HTC ImageChip. HTC claims that a physical shutter button makes it quick and easy to capture images even if the phone is locked.

HTC states that Beats Audio is exclusively available on HTC smartphones. The Windows Phone 8X by HTC offers an audio amplifier powering the 3.5mm audio jack and the speaker.

The Windows Phone 8X by HTC has a 4.3-inch, HD-resolution, super LCD 2 screen, protected by lightweight Gorilla Glass 2. The optical lamination reduces reflections and glare. 

It comes pre-loaded with the Windows Phone Store and Xbox Live, from where it is possible to access the latest video, music, and gaming content.

After 8 years, Gmail beats Hotmail to become largest email service

Over the years, Gmail has attracted a lot of users. So many that it has finally surpassed Hotmail as the most-used email service in the world, according to a report by ComScore. Google had claimed in June this year that it had reached 425 million users, and now ComScore has come out with figures that put Gmail at the top of the list. According to a ComScore graph posted by GigaOm, Gmail has a total of 287.91 million users, closely followed by Hotmail, which has a user base of 286.23 million. Yahoo! Mail is the third largest email service used in the world and has 281.72 million users. Ever since it was launched eight years ago in 2004, Google has been adding features to Gmail quite regularly. The company recently redesigned the compose feature on Gmail. Composing an email now is quicker, for the compose box opens just like a chat window would, albeit larger. In an official Gmail blog post, Phil Sharp, Google’s Product Manager, shares that with this new design, it is possible to keep the compose mail box open and still look for older mails for reference. This way, users can also keep an eye out for newer mails. Sharp writes, “The new compose is designed to let you focus on what's important: your message.” What this means is all the controls will still be accessible, but won't come in the user's way when not needed. Users can now also easily insert inline images, and Google promises that there is more to come. Interestingly, now when users add recipients to their messages, profile pictures of their contacts will show up in Autocomplete, letting them be sure of sending mails to the intended recipient. Users can drag and drop the new address chips between the 'to', 'cc', and 'bcc' fields. Once users are done adding recipients, the address bar collapses automatically. Google is also field testing a search feature in Gmail that allows you to view results from Google Drive, Google Calendar, and more, in addition to the relevant emails. Also, the search strings of the participants on Google.com will return relevant emails, files, content on Gmail and Google Drive, in addition to regular search results.   Those who are part of the experiment will be able to view relevant Gmail messages and other shared links in their search results. Users will also be able to get information and statuses pertaining to their upcoming flights. Likewise, they will also be able to search documents, spreadsheets, presentations and other files stored on Google Drive. A lot has been happening on the Gmail side of things. Google recently updated its Google+ app for Android as well as iOS devices. The search giant also brought in a variety of handy features to the updated version of Google Drive for Android devices. Google may be readying an update for Gmail for Android as well, which will be version number 4.2. In this update, Google is speculated to bring in very useful features such as pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-delete or swipe-to-archive.   At around the same time, Google added over a hundred new virtual keyboards, transliteration tools and input method editors (IMEs) to Gmail, according to a post on the Google Blog. With the new additions, you can type in the language and keyboard layout of your choice. The languages can be changed with a single click. This update takes the count of input languages supported by Google to 75.

HTC 8S to reach Indian shores, priced at Rs 19,260

HTC today unveiled The HTC 8S, alongside the HTC 8X at a regional launch event in Singapore. The smartphone features the new Windows Phone 8 operating system, in addition to a colourful design and a Beats Audio sound driver. This smartphone will be available starting from November in India for a market operating price of Rs 19,260.

The HTC 8S is quite a colourful device with a premium-looking matte finish - unlike most of the black slabs available today. It will be available in Fiesta Red and Atlantic Blue. HTC created the Windows Phone 8S to blend the virtual and the physical utilising a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles.  The device has a sculpted, tapering body, which makes it feel quite thin in your hand. It also sports a bright super LCD 4-inch screen with Gorilla Glass.

The device also features great imaging capability, with a 2.1-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture, 88-degree ultra-wide angle front-facing camera that allows up to four people to be captured at once. It also supports 1080p video capture.  The rear camera sports an 8-megapixel sensor with backside-illumination (BSI) for improved low-light performance, along with an f/2.0 aperture, a 28mm lens and a dedicated HTC ImageChip.  You also get a physical shutter button to help with capturing images. 

The Windows Phone 8S by HTC features a Beats Audio driver powering the 3.5mm audio jack and the speaker, boosting the audio signal for even better sound no matter if you’re listening to music, playing a game or watching a video.

“Windows Phone has clearly emerged as one of the top mobile ecosystems and is competitive against any other smartphone platform in the world,” said Faisal Siddqui, country head, HTC India. “We are confident that the iconic design and incredible innovation of the Windows Phone 8S by HTC will help consumers fully realize the potential and lifestyle benefits offered by these smartphones.”

Windows Phone 8 is the latest version of Microsoft’s smartphone operating system, launched earlier this week. Microsoft states that Live Tiles are the core of Windows Phone. Users can arrange the Start screen whichever way they like by pinning people, apps, music, games, photos and other tiles. One has the option of customising the Live Tiles and there are three different sizes and 20 different colours of tiles to choose from.

Windows Phone 8 offers a range of new features:
Live Apps - This feature brings information right to the Start screen, such as the Groupon deal of the day, flight information, and news headlines. Live Apps such as Facebook can deliver real-time information right to your lock screen with an updated wallpaper.

Top apps - The Windows Phone Store has 120,000 apps to choose from, with hundreds added every day. Today, Microsoft announced that Pandora is coming to Windows Phone in early 2013, with one year of ad-free music.

Kid’s Corner - Exclusive to Windows Phone 8, Kid’s Corner is way to share your phone with your kids. After a simple setup, parents can activate a specialised place on the phone for kids to play — complete with their own customisable Start screens, where they can access only the apps, games, music and videos picked by parents.

Rooms – This feature allows you to create private groups of people who have Windows Phone 8. Users can chat, share calendars, shopping lists or photos in an ongoing conversation where only those invited can join in. You can share some aspects of Rooms with friends and family on other smartphones as well.

Data Sense - This new feature helps you surf more and do more, without worrying about going over your data limit. Data sense helps conserve your data allowance by compressing Web images, deferring data tasks to free Wi-Fi and automatically adjusting your usage as you get closer to your plan limits. Data Sense also shows how much data is used per app. As you approach your limit, Data Sense notifies you so you can get the most out of your plan. Data Sense will roll out to select mobile operators this holiday and additional partners next year. 

Wallet and near-field communications - Windows Phone 8 brings together the new wallet technologies, including payments via near-field communications (NFC). The Wallet can also store your debit, credit, loyalty and membership card information on your phone.

Always-on, Skype experience - With the new Skype app, coming soon to Windows Phone 8, you can make and receive Skype calls just like a regular phone call.

Apple officially launches iPhone 5 in India

Apple has officially launched the iPhone 5 in India today as scheduled. Apple's newest iPhone enters India after it was launched first on September 21 in chosen markets across the globe. 

The pre-orders for the new flagship smartphone from Apple had started a few days ago. The company's distribution partners in India had issued announcements that the iPhone 5 will land on shelves today, November 2. However, those wanting to purchase the iPhone 5 today should not get their hopes up. Sources within Apple’s official retail channels have informed us that only those who pre-ordered the handset would receive it today, while others will have to wait up to nearly two weeks.

Sources have informed us that the number of handsets that have arrived in the first batch in India is very small. The chances of being able to buy a handset at an official Apple retail store are slim, but not zero. Airtel is offering a range of data plans for the iPhone 5 starting today. As per an official statement by Airtel, the data plans will enable customers to connect to its HSPA+ and DC-HSPA networks with Wideband Audio.

Customers who have pre-ordered the handset can head over to the outlets and pick up the iPhone 5 handset. Though the iPhone 5 is in limited supply, potential customers could try their luck at one of the Apple resellers. 

Here is a quick look at the highlighted features of the iPhone 5:

• 4-inch, 326ppi Retina display at 1136 x 640 pixels,
• GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, LTE and Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD recording, 720p front-facing camera
• 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions

The grey market is still flooded with iPhone 5 units, which do not seem to be in short supply. The smartphone is selling at a premium in the grey market, with the top-of-the-line version priced as high as Rs 67,000.

Redington, one of the distributors of the iPhone 5 in India, revealed the prices of the handset with the base model (16GB) being launched for Rs 45,500. The 32GB version of the iPhone 5 will be available for Rs 52,500, and the 64GB model for Rs 59,500. These prices are more or less on par with the iPhone 4S from the previous generation, when it was first launched in India.

Ingram Micro has recently announced that it will offer the Apple iPhone 5 at leading trade stores and retail outlets across India beginning on Friday, November 2. It was recently reported that in order to expand its user base in India, Apple will start selling the iPhone 5 through specialised distribution companies. Apple has tied up with Ingram Micro Inc, which is a large US-based distributor of technologies, as well as Redington India Ltd, a local distributor with 12,000 smaller partners across the country.