Buying an iPhone with a Telephone company plan outside United States.

Question

I would like to know if there is any control of prices outside of US by Apple. I went to buy an Iphone in Venezuela with
a telephone service plan, and I thought that it was like in the US, where one can pay a low price for the phone, and
have a selected plan with a telehone company. I was in schock to find out that in the APPLE store to buy the Iphone was very
expensive, and they told me to get it at the local Telephone company that provides service for Iphones. I went to iy thinking I can get it at a lower
price with the service from the Telephone company. I found out that the LOW PRICE her for the Iphone, 16GB, was $1,200. I almost fainted to hear
this! How can a company abuse the consumers this way? Is there any International Consumer Support? How can an IPhone cost so much
in a country where salaries do not compare like salaries in the US? Who can buy such a phone at such a price? The irony of it is that
it is cheaper than in the actual APPLE STORE. Is there any way that this can be controlled?

Answer 1

Apple is not abusing you in any manner.  Outside of the US, the cost of iPhones are not subsidized, and you'll pay full retail price.  In Bangkok, all iPhones are unlocked, and the best one costs the equivalent of over $1000US.  However, all of the carrier-offered plans cost only 1/3rd of the plans in the US.  In the long run, it's cheaper to purchase and use an iPhone outside of the US.