Tesco to Begin Selling iPhone in UK

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/25/tesco-to-begin-selling-iphone-in-uk/)

BBC News reports (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8378267.stm) that supermarket and retail chain Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, will begin offering (http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/content.aspx?page=12) the iPhone 3G and 3GS through its Tesco Mobile arm, a joint venture with wireless provider O2.A spokesperson for the firm said that it hoped to offer the phone "in time for Christmas".

Although Tesco has not revealed tariffs, the spokesperson said that its prices were "competitive".Tesco has also posted an information page (http://direct.tesco.com/p/inc/specials/iphone/) to provide details on its iPhone offerings as they become available.

O2 had held an exclusive agreement with Apple to distribute the iPhone in the UK since its introduction in November 2007, but other companies have recently gained the right to sell the iPhone there, with Orange (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/28/orange-announces-plans-to-offer-iphone-in-uk/) beginning sales earlier this month and Vodafone (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/29/vodafone-to-begin-selling-iphone-in-uk-and-ireland-in-early-2010/) set to follow early next year.

Article Link: Tesco to Begin Selling iPhone in UK (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/25/tesco-to-begin-selling-iphone-in-uk/)

[CherryJul]

I shop at Tescos all the time. This is great news. :)

[Veri]

So appropriate.

[Kilamite]

So this will be on Tesco Mobile but with O2's 3G towers...?

[jMc]

So this will be on Tesco Mobile but with O2's 3G towers...?

Tesco Mobile is just a virtual network - it's always used O2's real network infrastructure.

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

jx

[KP Nuts]

Having been with Orange for nearly a decade I was keen to get an iphone when they started to offer it. I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.

I couldn't help thinking Orange was acting like a spoilt brat strutting around the playground with the latest Barbie Doll waving at everyone smugly refusing to share unless you paid her more sweets than you had pocket money for...

If now that Tesco/Vodaphone/O2 are offering these, maybe Orange will start doing deals, thus proving my suspicions. What do you think?

Price fixing is not cool with me and the adulation of having a phone that didn't even have a keyboard with buttons that click made me stick a couple of well placed fingers up to the game. If the game is rigged you can't win. However, you can't lose if you don't play...

Blackberry Bold 9700 on order. £20 a month, 1000mins, unlimited text + data, and a keyboard!!!!

Stop supporting greed. It's why I can't even afford a council house right now.

[capoeirista]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Just another step in Tescos plan to sell everything.

[The Samurai]

Great.

Now you can go in and buy eggs, milk and perhaps an iPhone.

Sweet.


Regards
Tesco'opoly.

[colocolo]

On a related note though probably no one here will care, Entel PCS will begin selling both the 3G and 3GS iPhones in Chile beginning December 9th. This means all of the three major carriers will have the iPhone, now including the best of them all.

[powers74]

A spokesperson for the firm said that it hoped to offer the phone "in time for Christmas".

Although Tesco has not revealed details, the spokesperson said that there was a slight "tieup" in Belgium.

Iiiiiiiiiinnnnterrresssstinggg


P.S. That does it, I'm holding out for T-mobile.

[JoeDRC]

RANT

Why are you whining about prices when the phone isn't even what you want. Everyone knows the iphone has no physical keyboard...

Plus if you can't afford that council house, stop spending so much money on your phone contract.

[Drpepper99uk]

Great news!!!


Now where did I put my Tesco Clubcard??? ;)


Mike.

[daneoni]

iPhone is going the way of the RAZR.

I'm also slightly worried now, Apple will need to manufacture a heck of a lot more units to meet demands of all these distribution channels...incressing the possibility defective units and even cheaper hardware components in the 4th gen iPhone

[Kilamite]

Stop supporting greed. It's why I can't even afford a council house right now.

If that's the case, then maybe the iPhone isn't for you and you should scout eBay for an old Nokia 3310.

Also, exclusive deals always mean the customer has to pay more than they would if the phone available from multiple carriers in the same country.

iPhone is going the way of the RAZR.

The iPhone works for start.. so it isn't going the way of the RAZR, which was just crappy release upon crappy release.

[KP Nuts]

Why are you whining about prices when the phone isn't even what you want. Everyone knows the iphone has no physical keyboard...

Plus if you can't afford that council house, stop spending so much money on your phone contract.

OH AND THEN IN 100 YEARS I'LL HAVE A HOME...

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.

[abrooks]

Having been with Orange for nearly a decade I was keen to get an iphone when they started to offer it. I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.

You're right, this isn't entirely true. Apple is most likely receiving a fee for each iPhone sold and possibly some of the monthly contract cost. O2 did exactly the same thing, completely ignored customer loyalty or corporate discounts and it's because so much money is being fed back to Apple.

Apple isn't controlling the prices but a lot of money from the unit sale and monthly contract is going back to Apple.

On your thoughts of competitive-ness I feel that Tesco can't add anything to the market, they may feel the need to discount units more but it's unlikely that O2 will allow them to undercut the current tariffs.

[JoeDRC]

OH AND THEN IN 100 YEARS I'LL HAVE A HOME...

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.

Are you serious? No one is forcing you to buy an iphone.
None of these companies are out to help you, only get as much money as possible from you.

[ccuk]

OH AND THEN IN 100 YEARS I'LL HAVE A HOME...

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.

Many people are in the same position as you. It's life unfortunately... Also piffling attempts at boycotting the big bad companies isn't going to change your personal financial situations.

[powers74]

iPhone is going the way of the RAZR.



Going the way of? Did the hype of the RAZR even last two years? Did it have any significant updates? I.... I think that statement is a bit misguided.

[cervaro]

Given the involvement of O2 with Tesco Mobile, I think this is their way of sticking it to Orange over the Christmas period if they can get enough stock. Sour grapes for losing their iPhone exclusivity agreement.

That said, my iPhone 3G is officially unlocked now, so £20/month for 600 minutes, unlimited texts and broadband (500Mb/month cap) with a Vodafone 30-day SIM will be my stopgap until the 2010 iPhone appears. Better all round signal availability beckons too. Roll on January 7th 2010 :)

[johnnyjibbs]

It was always going to go this way. Just as it was with the iPod.

Phase 1) Offer exclusive product that everyone wants for a huge amount of money. Only early adopters will buy it and those with enough cash to flash but it will seal the product's exclusive fate as must-have item. This is exactly what they did with the first iPhone.

Phase 2) When mass-market appeal is needed to fuel growth - and when competitors are starting to produce copycats at much reduced prices - it's time to lower the price and open up to the mass market. Here you can expand the number of territories available too (and in the case of the iPod, allow Windows users in too). This is the iPhone 3G.

Phase 3) Accelerate growth by offering it in as many places as possible and further refining the price model, add new versions. This is where Tesco comes in. They now need visibility for all those people who say that phones are just for 'calls and texts' - the kind who swore in 2003 that they never needed a mobile phone - and who are unlikely to walk into an O2 or Orange shop. This is now about keeping up momentum, including branching out to other networks.

The iPhone's exclusivity is wearing off now - every Tom, Dick and Harry has one - so don't limit its growth by only offering down a select few distribution channels.

[BlizzardBomb]

Iiiiiiiiiinnnnterrresssstinggg
P.S. That does it, I'm holding out for T-mobile.

Seeing as T-Mobile and Orange are merging, they'd probably just match each other.

Roll on January 7th 2010

You mean June 7th 2010? I seriously doubt a new iPhone will come out in January.

I'm also slightly worried now, Apple will need to manufacture a heck of a lot more units to meet demands of all these distribution channels...incressing the possibility defective units and even cheaper hardware components in the 4th gen iPhone

Apple better stop selling Macs in electronic stores then!

[powers74]

Having been with Orange for nearly a decade I was keen to get an iphone when they started to offer it. I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.



This is what I don't get about these service providers. If I was ever able to run my own service co., Customers would start out at the high tier pricing and as time rolled on, would get better and better rates. Doesn't this hold? Doesn't it go that it is more expensive to gain a new customer than it is to keep your current one? So you pay for your price of entry, and you're rewarded for your loyalty. Am I just dreaming here? I mean right now, they snag you at a tantalizing price, then BAM six months or a year later you get slapped with the real deal. How can any company expect to build a loyal customer base with a model like that?

Well anyway, there's my rant for the month. As for the rest of your post, sounds like you were bullied twice too many times as a grade schooler and should seek some qualified council.

[cervaro]

You mean June 7th 2010? I seriously doubt a new iPhone will come out in January.

That's when my 18 month O2 contract ends, hence I will swap out the SIM for the one I mentioned from Vodafone.

[powers74]

Seeing as T-Mobile and Orange are merging, they'd probably just match each other.



Blast.

[ChazUK]

It was always going to go this way. Just as it was with the iPod.

Phase 1) Offer exclusive product that everyone wants for a huge amount of money. Only early adopters will buy it and those with enough cash to flash but it will seal the product's exclusive fate as must-have item. This is exactly what they did with the first iPhone.

Phase 2) When mass-market appeal is needed to fuel growth - and when competitors are starting to produce copycats at much reduced prices - it's time to lower the price and open up to the mass market. Here you can expand the number of territories available too (and in the case of the iPod, allow Windows users in too). This is the iPhone 3G.

Phase 3) Accelerate growth by offering it in as many places as possible and further refining the price model, add new versions. This is where Tesco comes in. They now need visibility for all those people who say that phones are just for 'calls and texts' - the kind who swore in 2003 that they never needed a mobile phone - and who are unlikely to walk into an O2 or Orange shop. This is now about keeping up momentum, including branching out to other networks.

The iPhone's exclusivity is wearing off now - every Tom, Dick and Harry has one - so don't limit its growth by only offering down a select few distribution channels.
Quite possibly the best way to sum up what Apple have been up to. :)

I just hope Apple bring phase 3 to our American cousins so they have more choice!

[BlizzardBomb]

That's when my 18 month O2 contract ends, hence I will swap out the SIM for the one I mentioned from Vodafone.

Gotcha. I'm on the same boat as you really. I'm on a 30-day SIMplicity just waiting for the next iPhone.

[Kebabselector]

Having been with Orange for nearly a decade I was keen to get an iphone when they started to offer it. I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.

The prices are fixed. As you currently spend between £166 and £250 per month on orange a £125 iPhone contract might save you a bit of money.

As for the council house, isn't that more related to your circumstances? Rather than income.

[star-fish]

I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.


£2-3k a year is not premium. That's not even the mid-range business customer.

[star-fish]

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.



Knowing first hand the limits and costs imposed on Apple's hardware and software resellers, it's entirely possible the prices are fixed...or at least limited in terms of profit, rather than fixed.

We'll see what happens with Tesco. I think Orange would undercut O2 more if they could, purely to get more customers.

[Hattig]

OH AND THEN IN 100 YEARS I'LL HAVE A HOME...

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.

Well, houses are certainly under £300k. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/uk_house_prices/counties/html/county24.stm

Cornwall
Average house price
£175,644
Detached £235,148
Semi-detached £147,772
Terrace £135,979
Flat £122,526

Yeah, get a flat then.

edit: to be fair, it brings into contrast me buying a detached house near Cambridge in 2001 for £118k doesn't it?

[daneoni]

The iPhone works for start...

Depends on who you ask...

Going the way of? Did the hype of the RAZR even last two years? Did it have any significant updates? I.... I think that statement is a bit misguided.

The comment was more about the similarity in mass marketing of both products. First exclusivity...then flog it to anyone who wants it

[VoR]

Having been with Orange for nearly a decade I was keen to get an iphone when they started to offer it. I have been a premium customer spending £2 - 3k a year with them.

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.

Since when did you ever get rewarded for loyalty with contracts like mobile phones? Companies want more new business, they've already got yours.
Price fixing aside, ALL the best deals are given to new customers.

[loadbang2]

The prices are fixed. As you currently spend between £166 and £250 per month on orange a £125 iPhone contract might save you a bit of money.

As for the council house, isn't that more related to your circumstances? Rather than income.
Hi GT!


All that is missing now is Virgin Mobile.

[powers74]

First exclusivity...then flog it to anyone who wants it

Well, then I suppose they're similar in that respect. Still there was never RAZR2, RAZR/S, RAZR.... The thing about iPhone is that there will be a newer better one every year, and *most likely* they will stop selling the predecessor so there will always be some luster of newness. Not so much with the Moto.

[SimonTheSoundMa]

However, instead of my usual discounts, Orange claim that their prices are fixed by Apple, and they couldn't offer me any deals despite my loyalty and history of large spending. I personally doubted this was entirely true.


Isn't that called price fixing?

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Hi GT!


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/smilies/sly.gif

[BlizzardBomb]

All that is missing now is Virgin Mobile.

If Virgin do a 4 services bundle (TV, phone, internet, iPhone), then that would definitely be a strong contender.

[Superdelphinus]

You're right, this isn't entirely true. Apple is most likely receiving a fee for each iPhone sold and possibly some of the monthly contract cost. O2 did exactly the same thing, completely ignored customer loyalty or corporate discounts and it's because so much money is being fed back to Apple.

Apple isn't controlling the prices but a lot of money from the unit sale and monthly contract is going back to Apple.

On your thoughts of competitive-ness I feel that Tesco can't add anything to the market, they may feel the need to discount units more but it's unlikely that O2 will allow them to undercut the current tariffs.

i should think apple probably do directly influence the prices too - it's about brand image and how that relates to the IP, as much as anything else

[instaxgirl]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Just another step in Tescos plan to sell everything.

Don't knock it! I MISSED Tesco when I was abroad (I know, I know they're probably evil)

I like this. When I finally update my iPhone at least I'll get a load of Clubcard points in return for my ridiculously priced phone.

[Berio]

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.

What are you complaining about? You don't want the device, so even it they made it cheaper you would not want it, right?
Basically you want apple to design something else and sell it cheaply?

Actually, your Robin Hoodish stance has inspired me: i have just mailed Ferrari, and demanded that they design a slow, cheap stationwagon.

$218,310 for a F430 Spider RWD 2-Dr Convertible V8 is far too expensive for me, and you can't even transport furniture in this car. Ferrari must be stopped, their attitude is disgusting, I've been living in a cardboard box for a few years because of Ferrari's pricelist.

[parish]

Hmm, Tesco announce yesterday that they will have the iPhone (hopefully) in time for Xmas, Orange started selling them on 10 Nov, yet Vodaphone - who I am with - announce the day after Orange that they will have them "early next year".

What are VF playing at? I assumed it was Apple staggering the start dates to ensure supply but Tesco's announcement makes it look like that isn't the case.

Only consolation is that VF may come up with some good deals as they will be playing catch-up in the UK iPhone market.

[NSMonkey]

OH AND THEN IN 100 YEARS I'LL HAVE A HOME...

Why are you swallowing it is a better question. More people thinking like me, less control given to Apple, Tesco and all the other take take take takers out there. We are pandering to them, because they are cleverer than....YOU. Wake the &^%$ up.
If £3,000 a year is insignificant to you, what were you complaining about in the first place? And if you really think that shoveling your money towards a telco is somehow morally superior to buying an iPhone, well, you're deeply misguided to say the least. I think you're just trying to rationalize the money you spent on a Blackberry when what you really wanted was an iPhone.

[kirky29]

I just joked yesterday that I bet Tesco wanted the iPhone real bad. :)

[Kebabselector]

Hi GT!


All that is missing now is Virgin Mobile.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/images/smilies/sly.gif

Rumbled, just have to figure out who loadbang is now!

[MacKiddyWiddy]

haha iphone is properly opening up now o2 vodfafone orange and now tesco http://macblog.***********/imgs/signature_SmileyFace.jpg this is great news, now some competition for better contracts EG MORE TEXTS http://macblog.***********/imgs/signature_SmileyFace.jpg

[Bennieboy©]

this is good i suppose, it will be the cheapest way to get a brand new iPhone i'm guessing, shame im on vodafone :( theyre gonna charge a bloody fortune lmao

[Mike Oxard]

I heard that they are doing a special version of the iPhone exclusively for Tesco's.

It'll be called the 'Tesco Value iPhone', it'll have either a fetching blue and white striped back cover, or a Burberry tartan option. It comes pre-programmed with your local private-hire taxi number so you can easily get home after buying it, has a built in lighter, and the welcome screen is a picture of a Rottweiler

The phone'll cost £29.99 with 200 clubcard points, and it's PAYG only. £10 gets you no voice minutes but unlimited free calls to taxi's and take-aways, 1000 texts and unlimited data, as long as you are only downloading from torrent sites.

[Bennieboy©]

I heard that they are doing a special version of the iPhone exclusively for Tesco's.

It'll be called the 'Tesco Value iPhone', it'll have either a fetching blue and white striped back cover, or a Burberry tartan option. It comes pre-programmed with your local private-hire taxi number so you can easily get home after buying it, has a built in lighter, and the welcome screen is a picture of a Rottweiler

The phone'll cost £29.99 with 200 clubcard points, and it's PAYG only. £10 gets you no voice minutes but unlimited free calls to taxi's and take-aways, 1000 texts and unlimited data, as long as you are only downloading from torrent sites.

apple + tesco in partnership produce the : Apple chavtouch lmfao

[jnc]

Great news!!!


Now where did I put my Tesco Clubcard??? ;)


Mike.

indeed - that's sealed the deal for me. :p

[RedTomato]

Blackberry Bold 9700 on order. £20 a month, 1000mins, unlimited text + data, and a keyboard!!!!

Stop supporting greed. It's why I can't even afford a council house right now.

I'm from Cornwall too, born and bred there, and yes, housing is way overpriced in Cornwall, mainly cos of non-locals buying second homes, and also the vast spread of retirement homes there. Cornwall has one of the highest percentage of OAPs in the UK and possibly in Europe too. I've seen prices go up by about 10 x in a couple of decades.

At the same time, local jobs are some of the lowest earning in the UK, and for a while, Cornwall was one of the EU's special assistance regions, along with other poverty-stricken regions in Spain and Italy.

Go down to Cornwall and you'll see lovely shops and restaurants there, but they're overpriced for locals. Expect to pay London prices. I do, but then I live and work in London now.

Back to phones, you're over-paying for your phone. I bought a second hand iPhone for about £200, and it costs me about £15 per month on o2's Web and Text tariff for unlimited internet and texts and more minutes than I can use.

Next month I'll probably get o2 to unlock my iPhone for £15 and try out Orange's similar offer for £10 per month, as their coverage might be a bit better round here.

[Buzz Bumble]

Here in New Zealand I saw an advert in yesterday's newspaper that was announcing that the Noel Leeming chain of electronics stores was now selling the iPhone 3Gs (they already sell Vodafone mobile phones and are an Apple reseller for Macs and iPods).

The New Zealand equivalent of Tesco / Wallmart is The Warehouse, and they already sell the iPod range and Vodafone mobile phones, so it probably won't be long before they have the iPhone as well.

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Rumbled, just have to figure out who loadbang is now!

User loadbang is an account of mine I use on other forums.

[Veri]

I'm from Cornwall too, born and bred there, and yes, housing is way overpriced in Cornwall, mainly cos of non-locals buying second homes

Mainly cos of locals selling to non-locals, or local government giving planning permission for homes designed to appeal to non-locals. Community begins with self-restraint, but locals revel in the short-term gain then become shocked when, inevitably, demand >> supply.

tl;dr over-immigration indicates a problem with locals, not a problem with immigrants.

[nazuk]

Mainly cos of locals selling to non-locals, or local government giving planning permission for homes designed to appeal to non-locals. Community begins with self-restraint, but locals revel in the short-term gain then become shocked when, inevitably, demand >> supply.

tl;dr over-immigration indicates a problem with locals, not a problem with immigrants.


Please don't bring 'immigration' into Macrumors when we are discussing iPhone. It's irrelevant, even if you are wondering onto the topic of Cornwall.

[OS X Dude]

Tesco Mobile - network for chavs!

[BoyBach]

Whilst Orange were reluctant (unable?) to start the iPhone price war, Tesco certainly won't be backward in trying to nick their rivals customers. Good times if your contract is up for renewal or you've been waiting to buy your first iPhone.

[weckart]

Poundland next, please.

That is all.

[iZac]

Every little helps

[G58]

He's a Kommunist, ignore him.

Either that or he has shares in RIM!


Are you serious? No one is forcing you to buy an iphone.
None of these companies are out to help you, only get as much money as possible from you.

[G58]

Cos People are stupid.

They want instant gratification. No-one thinks far enough ahead to work out that jam tomorrow is better than jam today.

Costco, for instance, has one of the lowest staff turnovers in retail/wholesale. The reason is that employees get paid more and more the longer they work for them.

It must be the Wester hunter gatherer in us that sees the cheap first 3 or 6 deal months as being better than the idea you're proposing. But if you win the lottery and decide to start a business, do let us know if you find any customers who like your deal.

Interestingly, the Chinese save until they can afford things - everything. We borrow to get everything now. Like I said, we're stupid.


This is what I don't get about these service providers. If I was ever able to run my own service co., Customers would start out at the high tier pricing and as time rolled on, would get better and better rates. Doesn't this hold? Doesn't it go that it is more expensive to gain a new customer than it is to keep your current one? So you pay for your price of entry, and you're rewarded for your loyalty. Am I just dreaming here? I mean right now, they snag you at a tantalizing price, then BAM six months or a year later you get slapped with the real deal. How can any company expect to build a loyal customer base with a model like that?

Well anyway, there's my rant for the month. As for the rest of your post, sounds like you were bullied twice too many times as a grade schooler and should seek some qualified council.

[Zygon Gambit]

Interestingly, the Chinese save until they can afford things - everything. We borrow to get everything now. Like I said, we're stupid.
Even houses? Mortgages are a loan worth getting IMO, even if few other loans are. Mortgages (back in the early 20th century) gave many working people the freedom to start using their money on themselves, rather than on landlords.

Back on topic: I'm no fan of Tesco, but I'll do my bit by not buying an iPhone off them. I can't sensibly afford one anyway, so I haven't got one.

[Mike Oxard]

Every little helps

Exactly! Is this the devaluation of the iPhone? Everyone will own one soon (Tesco's can make anyting affordable), so Apple better be working on a new exclusive version if they want to keep their products top end rather than mainstream, even if their product is the mainstream:confused:.

[instaxgirl]

Interestingly, the Chinese save until they can afford things - everything. We borrow to get everything now. Like I said, we're stupid.

Not everyone borrows. I still only buy when I have the cash sitting in my account.

Everyone will own one soon (Tesco's can make anyting affordable), so Apple better be working on a new exclusive version if they want to keep their products top end rather than mainstream, even if their product is the mainstream:confused:.

I don't care if everyone owns one. I get excited (to an extent :p) when my friends tell me they've bought one. It's nice to have people to talk about apps and things with.

[jilldemi]

Be with the thread.. Not so fan of Tesco either.. however that is a great news!

[OllyW]

Exactly! Is this the devaluation of the iPhone? Everyone will own one soon (Tesco's can make anyting affordable), so Apple better be working on a new exclusive version if they want to keep their products top end rather than mainstream, even if their product is the mainstream:confused:.

Just for you (http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/will-tesco-kill-the-iphone-s-cool--653945).

Why do you want the iPhone to be "exclusive"?

[Mike Oxard]

Just for you (http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/will-tesco-kill-the-iphone-s-cool--653945).

Why do you want the iPhone to be "exclusive"?

I don't, I don't need one so I'm not that bothered, but Apple did when they launched it, it was up there with all the other high end phones. Apple always seem to aim for the top end of the market to justify the costs of their products. The day everyone can afford an iPhone is when it's lost that exclusivity. If they want to totally dominate the market, they are going to have to hit the top end again with another premium version of the iPhone, most lower end users will be perfectly happy with the 3G or 3GS. You can tell they are starting to do this already with the 3G and 3GS being available concurrently, this will probably be their standard practice for future releases.

[Mike Oxard]

I don't care if everyone owns one.

Me neither, (I don't have or need one) everyone owned a Nokia a few years ago, it looks like the iPhone could be the new Nokia. All I'm saying is they'll need to make sure the next phone is very cool to maintain the overall desirability of the iPhone. I think they might just be able to make an even cooler phone, they're quite good at it :D

[Mac.]

Everyone on their dog has an iPhone now :(

Time for me to get something different, me thinks!

[d3c3it]

I wonder if Tesco will start selling Macbook as well? Like John Lewis.
Tesco Value Macbook anyone? It is a very good business plan by Apple, offer an exclusive deal, keep the price high and then open it completely to the market.

[OutSpoken]

Iiiiiiiiiinnnnterrresssstinggg


P.S. That does it, I'm holding out for T-mobile.

If you're lucky enough, you can already order the iPhone with T-Mobile. Business and Long term money spending customers are offered the iPhone when they attempt to cancel their contract to go with other provides who are offering the iPhone.

Loads of perople over on the t-mob forum are reporting this as true.

[jonnyb]

Every little helps

:) nice pic

[star-fish]

Since when did you ever get rewarded for loyalty with contracts like mobile phones? Companies want more new business, they've already got yours.
Price fixing aside, ALL the best deals are given to new customers.

Actually, that's not always true. With my last Phones4U contract, I got a number of things since I'd been with them for so many years, including:

- a discount on the new model contract phone I bought to the extent where it was free (I only have a small monthly package)

- new Samsung speakers to go with my phone

- a new docking station suitable for iPods as well as my phone

- an 8GB memory card

- a great deal on my contract overall

and £30 in cash.

[VoR]

Actually, that's not always true. With my last Phones4U contract, I got a number of things since I'd been with them for so many years, including:

- a discount on the new model contract phone I bought to the extent where it was free (I only have a small monthly package)

- new Samsung speakers to go with my phone

- a new docking station suitable for iPods as well as my phone

- an 8GB memory card

- a great deal on my contract overall

and £30 in cash.

If they're giving you 'free stuff', you've obviously been paying too much :)

Over they years I've almost always switched providers, used cashback sites and gone for retention/matching deals. Been a few years where a year's phone contract has made me money. I can't tell you how many times I've sat down with people that are talking about the 'great new phone deal' they've got, that ends up being a multitude of times more expensive and a poorer tariff.

I couldn't find any 'amazing' deals when i renewed a few months ago, but I'm on vodafone with a sim only, 1500minutes, infinite texts and data, and I'm paying £5.99 a month - What's your idea of 'a small monthly package'?

[Mike Oxard]

I couldn't find any 'amazing' deals when i renewed a few months ago, but I'm on vodafone with a sim only, 1500minutes, infinite texts and data, and I'm paying £5.99 a month - What's your idea of 'a small monthly package'?

Did you have to call them to get this deal, or did you find it on the web?

[VoR]

Did you have to call them to get this deal, or did you find it on the web?

hotukdeals.com and quidco.com

[Mike Oxard]

hotukdeals.com and quidco.com

Cheers:cool:

[Delta-NC]

Quidco is great. I got £60 cash back when I bought my iPhone 3G. The staff at O2 and Orange were both surprised when I told them this, the wanted to know all about it! :D

As to the topic, great news! If you think this is a bad thing you bought an iPhone for the wrong reasons!

The more carriers should lead to lower costs and the more devices out there the bigger the app market will be.

[Dagless]

Oh nice, hopefully there will be a price war (thanks to Orange offering network rivalry and Tesco offering iPhone price rivalry) and the consumer wins. Hopefully.

[Mike Oxard]

Is the Apple web store likely to sell the iPhone on the Tesco Mobile 'network'?

[twoodcc]

sounds good to me. the more places that sell it, the better

[G58]

So do I. But if you've got a credit card - you borrow.

And as a nation and as a culture, we in the West borrow, and very often more than we can afford.


Not everyone borrows. I still only buy when I have the cash sitting in my account.

[G58]

Yes, even houses.

Mortgages are fine. Of course they are. But when I bought my house I had to find at least a 10% deposit. There was a time when you had to find 25%.

The problems we're facing now are all because we treated 110% mortgages etc as a right.

And if Tesco offer the best deal, you'll resist the temptation?

Not sure I will.


Even houses? Mortgages are a loan worth getting IMO, even if few other loans are. Mortgages (back in the early 20th century) gave many working people the freedom to start using their money on themselves, rather than on landlords.

Back on topic: I'm no fan of Tesco, but I'll do my bit by not buying an iPhone off them. I can't sensibly afford one anyway, so I haven't got one.

[ppnkg]

This is probably going to be the best offer in the market. I used to be with tesco mobile and switched to O2 just because of the iphone...