Singapore Carriers Selling iPhone 4S Without Any Cameras

[Anthony Bouchard]

Heh. No flash photography please.

If you live in Singapore and you plan to buy an iPhone 4S from carrier M1, you might find that the iPhone 4S doesn't have any cameras inside of it. Why would they do that? As it turns out, the military is prohibited from taking photographs while on base and these camera-less iPhone 4S's are intended for them. It downright wouldn't make sense to remove a camera for normal selling conditions after all, would it? The 8 megapixel camera is one of the top selling points of the iPhone 4S as well as the front-facing FaceTime camera.

With the carriers selling the iPhone 4S without any cameras, you can bet on the fact that they pre-terminate your one year Apple warranty because they are opening and tampering with the insides of your iPhone 4S. So this means that if something happens to it, Apple doesn't have to honor fixing it simply because it has been messed with internally. Hopefully the carriers are doing something to offer a warranty of their own to replace the Apple warranty which is void as soon as they sell the tampered iPhone 4S. Obviously, if these iPhone 4S's are intended for the military, then chances of damage is increased.

Since the tampered iPhone 4S is for military only, civilians can still buy the iPhone 4S with the cameras still attached. These iPhone 4S's will still have their Apple warranty. Officials in the military that buy the tampered iPhone 4S must show proof that the iPhone 4S had its camera decommissioned at the carrier and not by the owner's hand. They are given a certificate that authenticates the process that they can use to allow their iPhone into the military with them.

Singapore isn't the first place to ban cameras on secure locations. At least this method allows military personnel to own and operate an iPhone even when on base. While there are many applications in the App Store that require a camera for the best functionality, unfortunately the military personnel will be forced to use applications that let you use the Camera Roll or don't use any cameras at all. This means no video chatting, no camera plus applications, and no entertainment booth applications. But, they can still do everything else like surf the web, text message, phone call, check email, and more.

The cost of the iPhone 4S (64GB) with the camera removed would have cost $900. The company refused to comment on why. The iPhone 4S isn't unlocked, but they indirectly implied that it was because of the labor for removing both cameras. A little ridiculous if you ask me. There will be a total of three companies that sell the iPhone 4S without a camera in Singapore as time progresses.

Sources: The Jakarta Globe

[celeron]

Lmao an iPhone 4s without camera, no Apple warranty costs $900? As you said, thas ridiculous

[i.Annie]

Yeah really...$900. So being in the military in Singapore means you pay extra for an iPhone 4S that is not unlocked and missing a piece of its original hardware. Makes total sense. The "labor" isn't worth an additional $200-$300 per unit IMO.

[lukeyb]

so just dont take pictures and save a fortune and loads of hassle?

[metaserph]

It's not about making the choice to not take pictures, it's about if they catch you with a phone w/ camera your butt is theirs. It violates principles of national security. Believe me. I visited an (unnamed for anonimity) air force base and was escorted out due to having my iPhone. They have a visitor's area where pics are allowed but not for base personnel. Just saying...

[oddphone20]

My friend in the U.S. Navy works with nuclear bombs. He told me that at any base when you work in any area that has higher than normal security clearance,phones with cameras are 100% prohibited. He has to this day never owned a smartphone.

[PoEtikly]

so just dont take pictures and save a fortune and loads of hassle?

.......um......did you read the article? If you don't have the certificate authenticating that the cameras have been decommissioned then they will NOT allow it on base. You're not allowed to have the possibility of taking pictures.

[oddphone20]

He never talks about what he does.

[hitman10]

I kinda agree with this... ever been to wikileaks? Well, governments around the world can buy all your information and data basically everything saying that... If they breached an iPhone and toggled the cameras and mic for a secure location.. Not so secure anymore is it. Especially when soldiers are on their personal computers & phones using skype to talk to loved ones at home. No such thing as privacy over the internet; common now who fooled you.

[Senyaichiya]

I kinda agree with this... ever been to wikileaks? Well, governments around the world can buy all your information and data basically everything saying that... If they breached an iPhone and toggled the cameras and mic for a secure location.. Not so secure anymore is it. Especially when soldiers are on their personal computers & phones using skype to talk to loved ones at home. No such thing as privacy over the internet; common now who fooled you.

Other than the wiki leaks comment that's pretty much true.

[kuhndsn]

My friend in the U.S. Navy works with nuclear bombs. He told me that at any base when you work in any area that has higher than normal security clearance,phones with cameras are 100% prohibited. He has to this day never owned a smartphone.

As a retired 2W in the AF I can say that is not 100% accurate. There are places but...there are also amnesty boxes you leave you devices in before entering a "no lone zone". Also it's not just cameras its un approved phones (not tested for EMR electro magnetic radiation.

[Eonhpi]

Hummm so what make it that they won't buy lens put a camera in it haha and still have certificate saying it was removed ..

[jose060789]

An iPhone 4S without a camera? That sounds depressing. Lol

[pegitt]

Ok with regards to the warranty chances are M1 have a plan in place with Apple to Warrent the phones having the camera removed, or Apple supply the phones with out the camera.

I'm sure with the amount that M1 supply Apple would custom spec the phones.

[mlee19841]

This reminds of when bb had models with no camera. Different reasons but still strange. That has to blow to fork out the cash and have no camera.

[Seth Adam Davis]

Well, you don't need a camera to play Bead Frenzy, so it's not necessarily the end of the world.

[vantheman169]

Wow. No Camera, no thanks. Its been years since I have owned a phone without a camera....Never an iPhone....lol what a joke.

[roomer11]

strange that they are allowed to sell a "not unlocked" phone in Singapore, in my memory this is not allowed, all mobile phones sold in Singapore must not be locked to any one carrier...

[teej1410]

Weird.

[Raahem]

Wow. No Camera, no thanks. Its been years since I have owned a phone without a camera....Never an iPhone....lol what a joke.

oh yeah? how many years has it been since you served in the military?
its not a joke of any kind, read the article. its a national security law for military personnel only not civillians.