Grist for the mill.

A friend with a friend with telco connections told me this morning this totally unsubstantiated rumor, so take it with a few tons of salt: there are at least 50 Apple iPhones in the Philippines as we speak.

My friend’s source, who is reasonably reliable, says that the major telcos are currently evaluating the iPhone for compatibility with their services and hardware, and to possibly create specific apps for the local market. According to the rumor being mongered, each telco (the two biggies and the wannabe) have ten units each for their various departments (engineering, marketing, etc.), so that makes 30 iPhones.

Then the National Telecommunications Commission supposedly has 20 units for evaluation, certification, approval and all that legal and technical jazz.

So all in all that makes about 50 units. Wowoweewah.

Sounds about reasonable. I kinda sorta think it could be true. But I would like to stress that this is a totally unsupported, unsubstantiated, likely bogus RUMOR, ok? Remember: tons of salt. PWiT thinks it would be nice to speculate though, and throws this tidbit out for the heck of it. Let the fun begin.

50 iPhones. Here. Oooh. Nice, if it were true.

Of course the telcos and the NTC are mum about it, and asking them would be like squeezing blood out of a stone. If any of you readers spot one of these in the wild, like maybe in a cafe or on the MRT (which I highly doubt; Apple’s NDAs are scary things), chime in and tell us about it, will you?