By Lester Kok & Tan Weizhen
Singaporeans are one step ahead of the game - again. Many of them have resorted to cutting their existing SIM cards to allow them to be used in the iPad 3G, while others are fashioning other workarounds.
A shop assistant in Sim Lim Square displaying a sealed box containing the Apple iPad. The device requires a micro SIM. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
APPLE fans here who have had to resort to cutting SIM cards to fit their iPad 3G models can put away their tool boxes.
From tomorrow, StarHub and M1 will begin selling the smaller cards, known as micro SIMs. SingTel will follow suit on June 1.
Although the telcos did not want to link the availability of the new cards to the Singapore launch of the iPad in July, Apple's device is the most popular one on the market now which requires a micro SIM, which is about two-thirds the size of a regular one.
There has been strong demand for iPads here. Although the product has so far been sold over the counter only in the United States, many Singaporeans have already snapped up iPads - which come in Wi-Fi and 3G versions - in the grey market.
Retailers in Sim Lim Square, Lucky Plaza and other areas say iPad 3Gs have been flying off their shelves despite the high prices - about $1,600 for a 16GB model, compared with $950 for Wi-Fi models with similar capacity.
Some stores said they have sold out their stock of 3G iPads.
