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3G iPhone - simultaneous worldwide release?

How will the 3G iPhone be released?

  • A staggered release, like the original version

    Votes: 20 39.2%

  • A simultaneous release worldwide

    Votes: 30 58.8%

  • Other (post a reply saying what you think)

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Total voters
    51
  • Poll closed .
S

ScoobyDoofus

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 31, 2006
53
0
Galway, Ireland
So, I'm in Ireland, we just got the iPhone last month, the tariffs are decent compared to other Irish tariffs (but sucky compare to the UK), and I am a week away from having saved enough cash to buy myself a 16GB one.

And then all these rumours start about the 3G version coming in June, the price goes down (depending on contract type) in Germany, and O2 in the UK drop the 8GB version by £100, and it looks like they're clearing stock of it ready for the new version to be released...

What do you think, is the 3G iPhone going to be released at the same time in all current markets? Or, as late-comers to the iPhone party, is Ireland (and Austria) going to have a delay before it's available here?

(I'm trying to fight it, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have a 16GB iPhone in my pocket next week. And then I'll just cry when the new one is released in 2 months for the same price.)
 
Definately a world wide release I'd say.

The only reason the original was staggered was due to securing deals with carriers. I'm sure Apple thought the phone would have been on sale in various markets long before now. I'd say Apple over-estimated their bargaining power with carriers outside the US, thinking they'd be falling over themselves like at&t to do a deal for the iPhone.
 
It'll be a release to all existing markets at the same time, because if they dont' they'll effectively kill sales in the markets that don't get the update on day 1.

If there is a delay it'll be a matter of a week or two, Apple's not going to sacrifice any more sales than that.

M.
 
Padraig said:
Definately a world wide release I'd say.

The only reason the original was staggered was due to securing deals with carriers. I'm sure Apple thought the phone would have been on sale in various markets long before now. I'd say Apple over-estimated their bargaining power with carriers outside the US, thinking they'd be falling over themselves like at&t to do a deal for the iPhone.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
Is a 1 1/2 month wait worth the cost of the upgrade (and the hassle of selling a phone at a much reduced price (think of the resale price of the 8Gb phone last week compared to this week...)?

They'll put them out of the door as fast as they can in as many places as they can. The delay will be if any, along the lines of up to a fortnight I imagine. Having said that, Europe sales have been lower than expected, and that might in big part be due to not being 3G - Europe demand might be much higher than currently, and so more equal priority.
Jobs could easily use the FCC testing as a cover to give Apple some more production time. And Jobs hardly even gives a reason to stagger products to other parts of the world :|
 
I dunno, but what with all the rumours flying around and then o2 saying the discounted 8gb iPhone ends on the 1st of June, well either the US gets it before then or on the same day.
 
Other.

Why?

Well, I somehow have a feeling that there will be no 3g iPhone in Germany, for a while, after release. Not that Apple would not offer it to T-mobile in Germany, but I just do not see it hitting the shelfs.

The iPhone in Germany is a messy thing, and I just have this guts feeling that it will turn even worse.

Lets look at it. At the moment the situation is like this: You can only buy an iPhone in connection with a contract. If your iPhone is stolen or damaged and you want to replace it, well, you have a problem. T-mobile will force you to either make a new contract (while your primary contract goes on) or set the contract back to 24 month runtime while charging a much higher price for the phone.

Yes, you can buy some sort of insurance (5-8 Euros a month<there are various reports on prices>), but only do this when buying at a T-Punkt (shop). Funny, the 16GB version can not be bought at the shop, only online/by phone, but then there is no insurance option. Oh, the insurance covers if the phone is stolen from a burglary, but not when robbed or stolen on the road or so.

The german consumer protection organization (Verbraucherschutz) has currently over 2000 complaints about warranty and insurance issues and the T-mobile management still did not official statement on the above mentioned issues.

Personally, I have no hope on a quick release through T-mobile. But hey, I will just get an other one from the US and enjoy my Vodafone data plan.

Oh, and I somehow have a feeling that all the irish 3G lovers will have also a rough awakening.

Regards
Fatum
 
I think it will be staggered slightly. A few weeks between the US and then Europe. This will give them a chance to build up enough stock so they aren't thin on release day in any one territory.

Also the interesting thing is that in the UK, the deal is till June 1, in Germany their deal is till June 30th if I read that correctly. Interesting.
 
I think it will be available in all countries that currently have a 3G network and iPhone availability (and maybe a few other countries) at approximately the same time.
 
Fatum said:
What deal?

Regards
Fatum
Click to expand...

This deal:
https://www.macrumors.com/2008/04/0...ring-subsidized-iphones-with-2-year-contract/

Fscklog reports (another report) that T-Mobile Germany is starting to offer substantial discounts on 8GB iPhones when purchased with a 2 year service contract.

The 8GB iPhone normally costs 399 euro, but depending on the service plan you sign up for, you could get it for a 300 euro discount. The special prices are as follows:

249 euro iPhone with Complete S
199 euro iPhone with Complete M
149 euro iPhone with Complete L
99 euro iPhone with Complete XL

The offer is good only between April 7th and June 30th and the 16GB iPhone remains at 499 euro. The changes have not yet been reflected on T-Mobile's site. This move to introduce subsidized iPhone pricing is interesting, in light of early beliefs that Apple prohibited the practice to avoid reducing the perceived value of the phone. For what it's worth, we've heard that iPhone sales in Germany have been disappointing.

The news comes amidst reports of iPhone shortages in the U.S.
Click to expand...
 
ScoobyDoofus said:
So, I'm in Ireland, we just got the iPhone last month, the tariffs are decent compared to other Irish tariffs (but sucky compare to the UK), and I am a week away from having saved enough cash to buy myself a 16GB one.

What do you think, is the 3G iPhone going to be released at the same time in all current markets? Or, as late-comers to the iPhone party, is Ireland (and Austria) going to have a delay before it's available here?
Click to expand...

Padraig said:
Definately a world wide release I'd say.
Click to expand...

MikeDTyke said:
If there is a delay it'll be a matter of a week or two, Apple's not going to sacrifice any more sales than that.
Click to expand...

Nice to see some more Irish blood on these boards. Though your missing a fada Pádraig ;)

I bought an import iphone in Jan because I got sick of waiting for our version to arrive.

I think it's likely there will be a world wide release of the iphone 3G and I may be tempted to buy one myself (as long as it's unlockable)

However it does seem that we wont be seeing the price reductions the UK and Germany are having at the moment. Its selling too well at the €399/499 price tag for them to drop it any time soon. Maybe mid to late summer...


Slán Lads :)
 
MacRumorUser said:
Nice to see some more Irish blood on these boards.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm a blow in! From the UK originally, been here since September.

Anyway, I agree with what some people have said, about a staggered release to markets where the iPhone is already available hurting sales in those countries while people waiting for the new version are reluctant to buy the older one. Hell, I'm reluctant to buy already!

But I still can't quite believe that O2 in Ireland will start selling the new version so soon after the launch of the original. We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.
 
ScoobyDoofus said:
But I still can't quite believe that O2 in Ireland will start selling the new version so soon after the launch of the original. We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.
Click to expand...

The problem is if they don't - they will just make people go ! 'Oh i'll may as well wait until they release the 3G version, and sales will dry up very quickly'. It will hurt sales too much if they don't release simulataneously.

They don't have to worry about the early adopters because they have already got them signed up and money taken. So what if they are peeved ;)
 
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