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Camera-free iPhone 4 and 4S Now Officially Available in Singapore

Friday January 20, 2012 7:27 am PST by Eric Slivka
Last week, we noted that several carriers in Singapore were working to offer camera-less iPhone 4S models for users whose professions prevented them from carrying camera-equipped mobile phones. With Singapore requiring all male citizens and many permanent residents to serve up to two years in the military, there is a significant market for camera-less phones in the country.


CNET Asia now reports that Singapore carrier M1 has officially gone live with its camera-less iPhone 4 and 4S models on its website. As previously reported, the devices are standard iPhone 4 and 4S models which have seen both front and rear cameras removed by the carrier. The camera-free versions carry a S$49 premium over their standard counterparts, covering the camera removal process. The camera removal process also voids Apple's warranty on the device, and M1 is offering users the ability to purchase a separate one-year warranty through a third-party vendor.
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fhall1
Posted: 5 weeks ago



Since there are so few non-camera cellular smartphone models currently in popular use, how are secure facilities in the rest of the world dealing with people carrying cell phones (including on call medical and emergency personal)?

Do they take away cell phones from all the lawyers visiting/representing prisoners? Aviation contractors? Etc.


You check your cellphone at the door.
Rating: 2 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Teo Morabito
Posted: 5 weeks ago
Still no news on the mic-less version of the iPhone ?
Rating: 3 Positives / 1 Negatives
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justperry
Posted: 5 weeks ago
I wouldn't buy a mutilated iPhone for a premium, just use a different dumb phone for 2 years and then buy a normal iPhone

Have to be careful not to get one of these when I buy mine in Singapore, ooch, I better go to Malaysia, they are cheaper there.
Rating: 3 Positives / 1 Negatives
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redryder
Posted: 3 weeks ago
Hi guys,

I’m from Singapore so let me clear up some stuff. Believe me, there is demand for a camera-less iphone here. All male citizens have to enlist in the military at from age 18 to 20, so there’s a market for camera-less phones.

When we complete our military service at age 20, we are still held in the reserves and have to go back for 2 weeks training once a year or every two years till age 40. Obviously when we go back for training we can’t use a camera phone. So you can imagine there’s this huge market of males in Singapore who may want something like this.

Also, the iphone is very popular here. I vaguely recall reading somewhere that Singapore is either number 1 or 2 in the world in terms of percentage of iphone users. I’m not an iphone user myself, but only because my company gave me a blackberry and I don’t want two phones.
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Consultant
Posted: 5 weeks ago



Since there are so few non-camera cellular smartphone models currently in popular use, how are secure facilities in the rest of the world dealing with people carrying cell phones (including on call medical and emergency personal)?

Do they take away cell phones from all the lawyers visiting/representing prisoners? Aviation contractors? Etc.


In some places they take away any electronics device that could have camera.

In other places it's on the honor system due to almost all phones have camera.
Rating: 1 Positives / 0 Negatives
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8ate8
Posted: 5 weeks ago
So you pay more for a phone that has something removed that has no factory warranty, but you have the option of paying even more to buy a third party warranty. Sign me up :rolleyes:

Is this even legal for carriers to do? Offering a modified product for sale without an included warranty that is. I know they can legally remove the cameras.

It's like if you bought an AMG Mercedes. You don't have a Mercedes warranty, you have an AMG warranty as Mercedes and AMG are two different companies. But pretend AMG didn't include a warranty and you had the "option" of buying one from "Joe's Discounts-R-Us Warranties". Just seems real shady.
Rating: 2 Positives / 1 Negatives
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justperry
Posted: 5 weeks ago

If Apple is producing these camera-free iPhones I wonder why that voids the warranty? Unless the Singapore carriers are removing the cameras themselves in which case I wonder how they are doing that. Is Apple actually allowing them to open up already built iPhones and modify components or is Apple actually allowing the carriers access to the raw iPhone factories to start an alternate production line that doesn't add the camera?


There's another thread on this a few days ago, the (Sg-M1?) Provider removes the camera and therefore voids Apple's warranty.
They open the iPhone and remove both the camera's, an easier way (In my other post) would be to use a light laser to damage the Camera sensor.

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/13/singapore-carriers-to-offer-camera-less-iphone-4s-models/
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=14189337#post14189337
Rating: 1 Positives / 1 Negatives
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baryon
Posted: 5 weeks ago

If Apple is producing these camera-free iPhones I wonder why that voids the warranty? Unless the Signapore carriers are removing the cameras themselves in which case I wonder how they are doing that. Is Apple actually allowing them to open up already built iPhones and modify components or is Apple actually allowing the carriers access to the raw iPhone factories to start an alternate production line that doesn't add the camera?


It's all in the article: The Singapore carrier removes the cameras, and it does void Apple's warranty, so it's not "authorized" by Apple, but it's not illegal or anything, just not official. So the carrier buys normal iPhones and removes the cameras and resells them.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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dakwar
Posted: 5 weeks ago

If Apple is producing these camera-free iPhones I wonder why that voids the warranty? Unless the Signapore carriers are removing the cameras themselves in which case I wonder how they are doing that. Is Apple actually allowing them to open up already built iPhones and modify components or is Apple actually allowing the carriers access to the raw iPhone factories to start an alternate production line that doesn't add the camera?


Dude. In the article: "As previously reported, the devices are standard iPhone 4 and 4S models which have seen both front and rear cameras removed by the carrier." ... No Apple hasn't given them access to its factories.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives
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firewood
Posted: 5 weeks ago
Since there are so few non-camera cellular smartphone models currently in popular use, how are secure facilities in the rest of the world dealing with people carrying cell phones (including on call medical and emergency personal)?

Do they take away cell phones from all the lawyers visiting/representing prisoners? Aviation contractors? Etc.
Rating: 0 Positives / 0 Negatives

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