Apple’s iPhone 3G has proved a sensation since it went on sale this year, selling almost five million handsets worldwide.
But as the Californian firm prepares to sell the award-winning gadget in Egypt, users there will have to go without a star feature: satellite navigation.
Egypt has banned the import of all GPS-enabled devices, claiming it is a military-grade technology that can be used to help pinpoint government buildings or be used by terrorists.
As a result, Egyptian buyers will not be able to use GPS. According to documents filed on Apple’s website, “GPS is not available while in Egypt, or when using an Egyptian phone”, which “is consistent with Egyptian law regarding GPS-enabled devices”. The company would not comment further.
Apple is not the first company to fall foul of the ban, which has been in place for five years.
Finnish phone manufacturer Nokia has been in negotiations with the Egyptian government to allow it to sell its GPS-enabled handsets, but so far without success.
The ban has created a thriving black market in GPS devices and high-end cellphones. Thousands of Egyptians sport handsets such as the Nokia N95, while satnav gadgets are often used by groups trekking in the desert or off the beaten track. “It’s a direct link to the satellite, so there’s no way they can stop you,” said Stefan Geens, a Swedish blogger who lives in Cairo.
Geens said he had regularly used GPS while travelling in remote parts of the country, but had never witnessed the authorities question anyone about the technology. —