Du promises Apple iPhone 5 to UAE customers

UAE telecoms firm du has promised Apple’s new iPhone 5 will be available to its customers – after a tech expert had warned the new gadget may not be compatible with the country’s networks.

Customers were warned to to look before they leap when it comes to new smartphone by the chief operating officer of UAE electronics retailer Jacky’s.

Ashish Panjabi said there may be issues with the frequencies used by the eagerly awaited new device, and with the new SIM cards it will need to operate. He advised excited buyers to do their homework first.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook takes the stage after the introduction of the iPhone 5
Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook takes the stage after the introduction of the iPhone 5 during Apple Inc.'s iPhone media event in San Francisco
Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook takes the stage before the introduction of the iPhone 5 during Apple Inc.'s iPhone media event in San Francisco
Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook takes the stage during Apple Inc.'s iPhone media event in San Francisco
Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook walks through the demo room after the presentation during Apple Inc.'s iPhone media event in San Francisco
Britain's Prince William, left, checks his iPhone as he attends swimming finals with his wife Kate, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watch swimming finals at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London

"There's no fun in having a new toy that you can't play with so proceed with caution," Panjabi said today on his firm’s blog.

However, du has released a statement promising that its customers will be able download speeds of 100 Mbps on its 4G network and that it will stock the nano SIMs required by the new gizmo.

“iPhone 5 is here and we understand how keen our customers are to get one,” the firm said.

“Soon we’ll bring this much-anticipated new smartphone to the UAE, with attractive data plans and Nano SIMS.”

Earlier Panjabi had cautioned buyers looking to be among the first UAE owners by buying the phone on the so-called ‘grey market’.

"Remember, not every seller of an iPhone 5 on the grey market is going to have a device that works here necessarily."

Several LTE features that the iPhone 5 supports will not work the UAE either including Maps, Siri and Dictation.

Apple have also confirmed that the Apple iPhone 5 will use a Nano SIM. This is a smaller SIM card than the current Micro SIM you get in the iPhone 4S as provided by UAE telecoms firms Etisalat and du.

"As of date, both carriers in the UAE have said their phones don't have Nano SIMs readily available though we suspect this will roll-out shortly," Panjabi had said.

Sure enough, du have made clear their intention to equip customers with the right SIM.

7DAYS also contacted Etisalat and regarding Panjabi’s claims, but have yet to receive a response.

For further information of the specs of the new phone, visit: http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/