America Movil Bringing iPhone To Latin America

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

Reuters reports that America Movil will be brining the iPhone to Latin America later this year (http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN0719056820080507).

America Movil, based out of Mexico City, is the largest mobile carrier in Latin America.

Article Link (http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/2008/05/07/america-movil-bringing-iphone-to-latin-america/)

[Buschmaster]

The more the better!

As a developer this is always good news, the more users the more possible customers.

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

It is nice to see the iPhone being offered in even more markets. I wonder if later this year is like 3rd quarter or later than that?

[bigandy]

Great to see the widening reach happening.

World domination soon ;)

[BornAgainMac]

I want to see the middle east get the Jesus Phone. Bring peace to the middle east. :D

[Telp]

Now comes the news. They are finally taking over the world. They may be able to get there 10million sold now. Good to see this finally happening.

[Teddy's]

Hopefully Mexico will have an iTunes store too. Lots of musical variety there.
Actually, I heard this "iPhone in Mexico soon" when I was in Cancun about 2 months ago and the timing is correct.
Oh, those memories. :p

[lalcan]

And about time, if you ask me. This country has been flooded with grey market iPhones...

[BRLawyer]

MUCH more important is the fact that it's coming to Brazil (via Claro), one of the most important and competitive markets for mobile phones in the world.

And no, Brazilians DON'T speak Spanish... :rolleyes:

[jcgnu]

"America Movil, based out of Mexico City"

Out of??? It is based in Mexico City, not out of it....

[jcgnu]

MUCH more important is the fact that it's coming to Brazil (via Claro), one of the most important and competitive markets for mobile phones in the world.

And no, Brazilians DON'T speak Spanish... :rolleyes:

MUCH more important??

Brazil - 184 million people - 86 million cell phones - 46.7%
Mexico - 107 million people - 56 million cell phones - 52.33%

Probably more important to you... as for me it is that it's coming to Mexico...

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933605.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brasil

[mkrishnan]

"America Movil, based out of Mexico City"

Out of??? It is based in Mexico City, not out of it....

It's common US English idiomatic usage, and it is used correctly. We express this idea in this way fairly commonly....

[Vikz]

Hmm... I wonder what AT&T will say about Claro selling the iPhone in Puerto Rico, since PR is included in its national plan and as you all know, States and territories under the national plan have the 5 year exclusivity with AT&T :rolleyes:

[jiarizti]

Just so that you my calculate the impact of this deal, America Movil has over 150 million subscribers!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/América_Móvil

[jcgnu]

It's common US English idiomatic usage, and it is used correctly. We express this idea in this way fairly commonly....

Oh ok, then I learned something new today! :D
I thought it was incorrect.. sorry ;)

[mkrishnan]

Oh ok, then I learned something new today! :D
I thought it was incorrect.. sorry ;)

No problem. :) We say "based in Mexico City" also. "Based out of" sounds slightly more natural (US English) to me. We would say "outside of" or "near" if we meant that it was located near but not in a city. Like we might say Microsoft is based just outside of Seattle, Washington, or perhaps Apple is based near San Francisco, California.... :)

As for what I learned, the Wiki article on America Movil was very enlightening. Sounds like a big win for both Latin America and Apple. Along with the other announcements this week from Vodafone, this is really great news as many people for many people outside the US and Europe who will be getting the iPhone through official channels soon! :)

[plokoonpma]

There is no Mexico city... I'm not mexican but been there a couple of times enough to know the main city/capital its called Distrito Federal or DF as mexicans call it.

Claro landed the rigths to operate here in Panama yesterday. So welcome iPhone!
:)

[Kansas-Kate]

There is no Mexico city... I'm not mexican but been there a couple of times enough to know the main city/capital its called Distrito Federal or DF as mexicans call it.

When speaking/writing in Spanish, the correct term is "México, D.F." but when speaking/writing in English, the correct term is "Mexico City."

[PaisleyMF]

Hmm... I wonder what AT&T will say about Claro selling the iPhone in Puerto Rico, since PR is included in its national plan and as you all know, States and territories under the national plan have the 5 year exclusivity with AT&T :rolleyes:

AT&T is not selling the iPhone in PR. So if the iPhone is going to PR it will be via Claro. Now all the persons that i know that have the iPhone over PR got them in the USA and then changing accounts.

[alansmallen]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what 16 countries they are going to sell the phone in?

[Teddy's]

And no, Brazilians DON'T speak Spanish... :rolleyes:

:eek: NOWAI REALLY!???

/sarcsm

[Teddy's]

MUCH more important??

Brazil - 184 million people - 86 million cell phones - 46.7%
Mexico - 107 million people - 56 million cell phones - 52.33%

Probably more important to you... as for me it is that it's coming to Mexico...

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933605.html
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brasil

Well, there are other things to consider. For example, income per capita and marketing variables such as life styles. Also, how are plans handled by phone companies: different marketing strategies? going after a niche? subsidizing? It is widely known that the iPhone "is not for everyone."
Of course in Mexico, data plans are getting less expensive (even cheaper than other developed countries *cough!* Canada *cough!*

It will be interesting to see how the iPhone introduction will happen. Good marketing class ahead.

[BRLawyer]

:eek: NOWAI REALLY!???

/sarcsm

You may tell that to our fellow U.S. citizens; a good portion of them (if not the majority) still thinks that we speak Spanish and have Buenos Aires as capital...:rolleyes:

As for the Mexican user's comment above, Brazil is a way more important market to Apple due to its overall gigantic reach and population, the potential for excellent growth and the ever-growing purchasing power of the middle and upper classes...not to mention that we have already more than 300,000 "unlocked" iPhones in the country...:rolleyes:

[jcgnu]

No problem. :) We say "based in Mexico City" also. "Based out of" sounds slightly more natural (US English) to me. We would say "outside of" or "near" if we meant that it was located near but not in a city. Like we might say Microsoft is based just outside of Seattle, Washington, or perhaps Apple is based near San Francisco, California.... :)

As for what I learned, the Wiki article on America Movil was very enlightening. Sounds like a big win for both Latin America and Apple. Along with the other announcements this week from Vodafone, this is really great news as many people for many people outside the US and Europe who will be getting the iPhone through official channels soon! :)


Yeah, very good news for us in Latin America. I live in Mexico City and I've seen hundreds of unlocked iPhones already among my friends. I'm actually about to buy one, but I think I'm gonna go the legal way so that the taxes I'll pay will go to my country.

Anyway, perhaps the only drawback is that Telcel (America Movil in Mexico) will be the one to sell it. They have a monopoly in the Mexican market (as well as other international markets) and it would be nice to see some other companies offer it. Competition is always good. Fortunately competition is rapidly growing in many countries like mine.

As for the comment about Mexico City and "Distrito Federal", the first one (Ciudad de México, in Spanish) is the name of the city, or the geographical name, and Federal District (Distrito Federal) is the political name. Basically it is the same thing, you can use both names indistinctively (although technically you shouldn't).

And finally, I believe it is good news not just for us, but for everyone, since it seems like the whole world will be getting it soon. Plus, international investments help our countries grow faster.

[jcgnu]

As for the Mexican user's comment above, Brazil is a way more important market to Apple due to its overall gigantic reach and population, the potential for excellent growth and the ever-growing purchasing power of the middle and upper classes...not to mention that we have already more than 300,000 "unlocked" iPhones in the country...:rolleyes:

Funny that we're fighting for it :D

Anyway, everything you said, same thing in Mexico...
I guess we have more iPhones here since we are so close to the US and it is so easy for us to get them.
I've seen thousands of them...

Arguing about it should lead us nowhere... I never said that Mexico was more important for Apple than Brazil and I feel that saying otherwise is kind of tough too. I'm just happy we will all be getting it, Brazilians, Mexicans, and everyone.

[jcgnu]

Ohhh and by the way....

"Según el CIU (Competitive Inteligence Unit), empresa de consultoría estratégica especializada en áreas de análisis de oportunidades de negocio, México se encuentra dentro de las 3 naciones del mundo con mas cantidad de iPhones."

According to CIU (Competitive Ingeligence Unit), -don't know how exactly to translate this-, Mexico is among the 3 nations with the biggest quantity of iPhones.

[mkrishnan]

And finally, I believe it is good news not just for us, but for everyone, since it seems like the whole world will be getting it soon. Plus, international investments help our countries grow faster.

Agreed! I used to live in Detroit and work in the automotive industry. Many of our engineers were based in Mexico City at GM de Mexico. I'm sure they'll be really excited to have the option.

Increased bilateral trade between our two great countries is always welcome, too. :)

[alenm88]

As for the Mexican user's comment above, Brazil is a way more important market to Apple due to its overall gigantic reach and population, the potential for excellent growth and the ever-growing purchasing power of the middle and upper classes...not to mention that we have already more than 300,000 "unlocked" iPhones in the country...:rolleyes:

Yeah, sure thats why we have Apple Online Store and you dont :p

[Vikz]

AT&T is not selling the iPhone in PR. So if the iPhone is going to PR it will be via Claro. Now all the persons that i know that have the iPhone over PR got them in the USA and then changing accounts.

Puerto Rico is not part of latin america nor is cuba, Haiti, jamaica, the dominican republic etc

[Kansas-Kate]

Puerto Rico is not part of latin america nor is cuba, Haiti, jamaica, the dominican republic etc

I'm sure what you meant to say is that those Caribbean islands are not part of South America, because they are most certainly part of Latin America.

Saludos,
Kate
Philologist & Geographer
specializing in Latin America

[Aftershock]

I can confirm that the iPhone is listed as a handset in the Claro website (El Salvador at least) I went to the website and asked that the web settings be sent to my phone. You are then asked to chose your phone from a list and the iPhone is listed. I also tried the "Identify by IMEI" option and entered my iPhone's IMEI and it came up.:cool:

Just hoping it happens sooner than later as my v1 iPhones speaker id dead!