updated 11:45 am EST, Fri December 16, 2011
Brazil, Russia, South Africa among major regions
The iPhone 4S is now available in over 20 more countries, checks show. A list includes Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. The expansion coincides with expansions of the iTunes Store and iTunes Match.
Of special interest is the Brazilian version of the phone, which on Apple's website starts at R$2599, or just under $1,418 US; in the US itself, even the most expensive unlocked iPhone model is only $849. The cost is linked to severe import duties, which are believed to be a major incentive for Apple and Foxconn to set up local manufacturing. Russian prices are only somewhat better however, starting at the equivalent of about $1,166.
After today Apple should enter into a less conspicuous phase of extending 4S sales. The one exception is China, which has become an increasingly important market for Apple. The 4S could launch in the country within a matter of weeks, since it now has a network access permit from government regulators.