Leaked photos show Brazil-made 8GB iPhone 4 with custom model number
Though the 8GB iPhone 4 is not expected to go on sale in Brazil until the iPhone 4S arrives in the country, MacMagazine.br has received alleged early photos of the device from a reader. The back of the handset contains the words "Brazilian Industry" in Portuguese, as well as the stamp of approval from ANATEL, the country's telecommunications agency.
The iPhone 4 reportedly came with iOS 5.0 installed and carries a model number that ends with "BR," presumably indicating that the device was manufactured in Brazil. The most recent leak comes on the heels of last month's release of factory documentation for an 8GB iPhone 4 allegedly from Foxconn's facilities in Brazil. Shortly after that leak, Apple announced the 8GB iPhone 4 alongside the iPhone 4S.
Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is said to be considering an investment as large as $12 billion on production facilities in Brazil. But, according a report from September, negotiations between the company and the government have stalled because of disagreements over tax rates, unprepared infrastructure and the lack of qualified workers.
The Brazilian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation had previously said that the first iPads produced by Foxconn in the country would arrive in December. A "reliable source" told MacMagazine.br that "Made in Brazil" 8GB iPhone 4 units are also expected to hit the local market in December. Distribution will reportedly start in Sao Paulo, Brasilia and other major capitals first before gradually expanding to other cities in the country.
Localized Foxconn production of Apple products in Brazil may help the company circumvent sizable tariffs on imported electronics. After tax, some of Apple's devices in Brazil cost more than double their original retail price.
If the company's products arrived on the Brazilian market without import taxes, Apple's sales in the country could see rapid growth. Apple revealed last quarter that sales in Brazil had jumped up 118 percent year over year to pass the $900 million mark.
35 Comments
Indústria Brasileira, Os parabéns ao Brasil por estar a evoluir economicamente e socialmente, já nós por cá em Portugal estamo-nos a enterrar! Congratulations to Brasil!
Poor Brazilians. They probably think high tariffs will benefit their country. All it does is benefit the few who manufacture behind the tarif wall, while everyone else has less money for a narrower range of goods. Meanwhile, more and more resources in the economy get diverted to the products protected by the tarif wall. One day it all ends in tears. It's what happened in Australia years ago, and more recently in Ireland. You would think people would learn.
Indústria Brasileira, Os parabéns ao Brasil por estar a evoluir economicamente e socialmente, já nós por cá em Portugal estamo-nos a enterrar! Congratulations to Brasil!
I wouldn't be so enthusiastic. It isn't all that nice. We're actually really, really behind considering our potential.
Poor Brazilians. They probably think high tariffs will benefit their country. All it does is benefit the few who manufacture behind the tarif wall, while everyone else has less money for a narrower range of goods. Meanwhile, more and more resources in the economy get diverted to the products protected by the tarif wall. One day it all ends in tears. It's what happened in Australia years ago, and more recently in Ireland. You would think people would learn.
Not only you are only partially right (a small part at that), your tone is disgusting.
You also seem to forget that Australia is AKA The Best Country of The World. (Also if you're wondering, the USA isn't in the top 3 of that list. It's barely in the Top 20, actually)
Poor Brazilians. They probably think high tariffs will benefit their country. All it does is benefit the few who manufacture behind the tarif wall, while everyone else has less money for a narrower range of goods. Meanwhile, more and more resources in the economy get diverted to the products protected by the tarif wall. One day it all ends in tears. It's what happened in Australia years ago, and more recently in Ireland. You would think people would learn.
What a lot of right-wing ideological garbage. You don't know what you are talking about.
In this case, the tariffs apply to any industry that just wants to sell product to Brazilians without investing anything in the country itself. It's the very thing that caused Apple to make the plant in Brazil in the first place to avoid the tariffs, and in case you didn't notice ... it's working out rather well.
It's the very thing that caused Apple
I think you mean Foxconn
Crazy thought, let's wait until the products are released before we judge if something is a success or not