iPhone 6, 6 Plus finally land in PHL

Finally, the iPhone 6—and the iPhone 6 Plus—have landed in the Philippines.

 

The much-coveted latest iterations of the popular smartphone was made available to subscribers of the country's two major telecom networks at midnight Thursday.

 

Smart and Globe, the two networks offering the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, both took to social media to mark the event.

 

On Twitter, Smart used the hashtags #SmartiPhone6 and #SmartiPhone6Plus and promised to deliver special deliveries for "select" subscribers:

 

We'll be making special #SmartiPhone6 deliveries today for a few select subscribers. Get ready as we might surprise you with a visit!

— Smart Communications (@SMARTCares) November 14, 2014

 

Smart said their iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were launched at the SM Megamall, with actor Derek Ramsay giving the new smartphone to select buyers:

 

What lucky gals! This Smart subscriber received her very new #SmartiPhone6 from Derek Ramsay himself! ???? Come on d... pic.twitter.com/kVa7lh6an6

— JM Tuazon (@jm_mayhem) November 14, 2014

 

On the other hand, Globe used the hashtags #ThatWonderfulMoment and #GlobeiPhone6 for the first subscriber to get an iPhone 6.

 

Globe launched the first batch of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units at the Globe Tower at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. Cheers to #ThatWonderfulMoment! :) pic.twitter.com/0v42inr6hT

— Globe Telecom (@enjoyGLOBE) November 13, 2014

#ThatWonderfulMoment when you're the very first to get that dream phone from Globe! @hcescala is such a lucky guy! :) pic.twitter.com/wogMl4b5GX

— Globe Telecom (@enjoyGLOBE) November 13, 2014

But not all were positive about the launch, posting tweets that questioned not so much the new iPhones than the carrier.

 

Last week, both networks revealed their prices and rates for the new iPhones as they began accepting pre-orders.

 

Side-by-side comparison of the two firms' pricing matrices revealed that the 16GB version of the iPhone 6 can be had via Globe at its Plan 1299 but with an P800-cash-out per month for 24 months. 

 

Smart's counterpoint to that Globe offer is its Plan 999 with two options: the P800-cash-out option or a one-time cash-out of P19,200.

 

The 16GB iPhone is “free” at the Data Plan 3000 of Smart while Globe gives it for “free” at Plan 2499 running 24 months.

 

For prepaid users, the 16GB iPhone can be had with the Globe P37,500 Prepaid Kit, while it costs P36,700 for Smart.

 

The 128GB iPhone 6 is "free" in the 30-month Plan 3799 of Globe while over at Smart the same unit can be had at P1,154.17 per month through Plan 999.

 

The iPhone 6 Plus 16GB, meanwhile, is available at Globe at Plan 1299 plus P1,000 monthly cash out for 24 months. A unit for prepaid, meanwhile, is available for P43,000.

 

Smart offers the iPhone 6 Plus 16GB at Plan 999 plus monthly P1,050 cash out for 24 months, while a prepaid unit is available for P42,300. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News