Big demand for iPhone 4 in UAE on first day of sales

Ever since Apple unveiled iPhone 4 in June, customers in the U.A.E. have been waiting for it to officially go on sale here. Devices have been available on the gray market but often at very high prices and without any valid U.A.E. Apple warranty. Today the wait was over as both telecommunications companies in the country, du and Etisalat, started selling Apple’s latest smartphone

Although the announcement from Etisalat saying that they would start selling iPhone 4 today came out a week ago it wasn’t until two days ago that users were given the full information about the prices and options for plans on offer from both carriers.

U.A.E. customers seemed very eager this morning to get their hands on iPhone 4 and Twitter was buzzing with interest and information was traded about what stores had stock and which ones did not. Etisalat and du had both said that all their stores would have stock today and for customers to go to a store and pick up an iPhone.

Erwin Rivera, Fono

Although it’s not been officially confirmed, Macworld Middle East has been told by sources in both telecommunications companies in the U.A.E. that Apple’s supply of iPhone 4 to them has been extremely limited. This seems to have been confirmed by customers reporting from multiple stores today that stocks were sold out.

I spent some time in the Fono store in Arabian Center near Mirdif, Dubai. Team Leader Erwin Rivera said that they had received 13 iPhone 4 for the start of sales today and that more is coming at the end of the month.

Erwin said that interest had been high for iPhone 4 with a lot of customers inquiring about it and 20 customers placing their bookings before today. He also said that many walk-in customers had been asking about the device and the details of the plans, long before all the details were revealed a few days go. All in all, Erwin estimates the interest in iPhone 4 to be at least on par with the interest on the first day of iPhone 3GS going on sale in October 2009.

When I spoke to Erwin in the early afternoon today he said that du were apparently experiencing some problems with activating customers’ plans but that they were working on it. Fono sells only iPhones by du.

In Erwin’s Fono store the only accessory for iPhone 4 that was on offer was a third-party screen protector but he said that more accessories, including cases and skins, were set to arrive later this coming week. “Most customers will be wanting accessories and it’s coming this week,” he said.