Cameraless iPhone 4 Available

Posted: January 25th, 2012 | Author: Michael Courtenay | Filed under: Digital Camera News, Technoid Gadget News | Tags: 4S, Apple iPhone 4, Cameraless, iPhone 4, M1, Non-Camera iPhone, Singapore | No Comments »

There are clearly 2 schools of thought on smartphone cameras, in the red corner – diehard photogs – who firmly believe a camera should have a detachable lens and a body the size of a small animal. In the blue corner, the rest of the world. Singapore Mac-addicts can now get their hands on an Apple iPhone without a built-in camera. Singapore telco, M1, gave details of the price and plans of its non-camera iPhone 4 and 4S, late last week. The iPhones can now be ordered on the M1 website: www.m1.com.sg

This clever move is aimed directly at Singapore Armed Forces personnel who are barred from taking cameras into military installations. M1 is charging close to $1000  for the 64GB iPhone 4S model, with a fresh two-year contract. The cost includes the camera-removal service, which is offered by an external contractor appointed by M1. The cameras cannot be re-installed, said a M1 spokesman.

Local Asian websites gave M1 full bragging rights as the first telco to offer the ubergadget – iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 range above –  without cameras to its military. The wireless provider said that both the front and the rear-facing cameras of the devices have been removed. Apple hasn’t approved the modification yet.

Coincidentally, M1 is offering a third-party warranty for $US320. Unfortunately, once the cameras have been removed, getting them back into the unit will be almost impossible. Other local carriers SingTel and StarHub also expressed their desire to roll out their own camera-less devices in accordance with the government’s request.

For the remaining 8 people using non=Apple smartphones, M1 is also the Blackberry Bold 9870 with the same camera removal service and similar – slightly cheaper – plans and outright buys.

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