(Newswire.net — October 30, 2016) — Kiev, Ukraine – An electronic store in Kiev decided to find the most devoted Apple smartphone fans. The management released an ad saying they would give an iPhone 7 to first five people who change their birth name to iPhone 7.
The name changing process in Ukraine can be a huge headache as far as administrative procedures go. If someone changes their name, they need to obtain all new documentation, which means waiting in lines, fees and desk clerks you really don’t want to meet twice in a lifetime?
There is nothing, however, that could stop Olexander Turin, a 20-year-old Ukrainian, from getting his hands on a new iPhone 7. When he saw the ad, he legally changed his name to Iphone Sim (seven in Ukrainian), the AP reports.
An iPhone 7 in Ukraine costs around $850. A simple name changes cost only $2 but it is a slow process. For Turin, however, time was not an issue and it was worth the time spent as he has become proud owner of an iPhone 7. However, Turin will probably change his name back to his birth name.
iPhone Sim (Turin) said that his friends and family had a hard time to accepting his new identity. His sister told the AP it was “hard to believe it’s true”.
“Each person in this world is looking for a way to express himself,” she said. “Why not to do that in this way?”
Not only has he gotten himself a new iPhone 7, but the new identity launched iPhone Sim as global phenomenon. Turin instantly became a hot topic in the world’s media.
Mr. Sim can now be known as Subscriber Identity Module, SIM for short, which is also the name of a removable network or memory card in smartphones.
This is very convenient timing, because if the ad was placed was when the iPhone 6 came to stores across the world, it would be odd for an English speaking person to hear “iPhone shist” (six in Ukrainian).
Although gadget geeks around world probably think it is the coolest thing, Mr. Sim will probably change his name back to Olexander Turin, before the iPhone 8 hits the shelves.