Apple flexes iPhone muscle with mobile networks

[MacBytes]

Category: News and Press Releases
Link: Apple flexes iPhone muscle with mobile networks
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[Rodimus Prime]

And apple integrity goes down yet again. They are are basically bid shopping and that is considered very unprofessional.

[mkrishnan]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

And apple integrity goes down yet again. They are are basically bid shopping and that is considered very unprofessional.

Bid shopping is unprofessional? Maybe, but is it not also ubiquitous? Doesn't everyone do this? Apple may eventually have to answer to the antitrust world, but otherwise this seems like just the way things work.... still sad that Apple hasn't been able to really revolutionize anything in terms of the way consumer / service-provider relationship works (e.g. still locked phones and contracts in most of the world, still the same emphasis on getting new customers rather than delighting existing customers, etc).

I wonder if this, on top of other recent moves to end exclusivity in Europe, points to more widespread multi-carrier agreements for Apple. Who knows what other deals have already been inked in what other locales?

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by mkrishnan

Bid shopping is unprofessional? Maybe, but is it not also ubiquitous? Doesn't everyone do this? Apple may eventually have to answer to the antitrust world, but otherwise this seems like just the way things work.... still sad that Apple hasn't been able to really revolutionize anything in terms of the way consumer / service-provider relationship works (e.g. still locked phones and contracts in most of the world, still the same emphasis on getting new customers rather than delighting existing customers, etc).

I wonder if this, on top of other recent moves to end exclusivity in Europe, points to more widespread multi-carrier agreements for Apple. Who knows what other deals have already been inked in what other locales?

It is one thing accepting bids from companies and when some one is doing it is out there for bid with other companies. That part is not hidden. The big players will know what other big players are in the game even if it not official.

Now forcing them to keep it under wraps becomes a problem.

Apple can get away with this action once. But they fry any deal they can get in the future because they lost the trust forever. They will always be treated like they are working some deal on the side which means they will not be sold as nice of a deal.

Apple actions taken here while not illegal are considered unethical.

[cohibadad]

You might consider this unethical. i consider it smart business. If they told an individual carrier that they were the only one and no other deal had been made that would be different. They basically negotiated with each carrier based on the possibility they had already signed with another carrier but no certainty and no details of the agreement. I see nothing wrong with that.

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by cohibadad

You might consider this unethical. i consider it smart business. If they told an individual carrier that they were the only one and no other deal had been made that would be different. They basically negotiated with each carrier based on the possibility they had already signed with another carrier but no certainty and no details of the agreement. I see nothing wrong with that.

Legally there is nothing wrong with it. There is a line and in many of the business things I have read what apple is doing is considered an unethical practice.

It works once and ONLY once, after that they burn all their trust with other companies and will always be treated as doing something on the side. Means poorer deals in the long run. Great for short run but long run poor.

But hey we have seen lately that apple does not give a damn about anything more than the short run. You have apple screwing over 2G iPhone guys with no MMS. Got the 3G that screwed with no Voice control. Paid updates for the iTouch. Screwing over the G5 Power macs with snow lepoard.

Apple ethics have been taking hit after hit. If I was a company making a deal with apple I would not trust them.

[ditzy]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

Legally there is nothing wrong with it. There is a line and in many of the business things I have read what apple is doing is considered an unethical practice.

It works once and ONLY once, after that they burn all their trust with other companies and will always be treated as doing something on the side. Means poorer deals in the long run. Great for short run but long run poor.

But hey we have seen lately that apple does not give a damn about anything more than the short run. You have apple screwing over 2G iPhone guys with no MMS. Got the 3G that screwed with no Voice control. Paid updates for the iTouch. Screwing over the G5 Power macs with snow lepoard.

Apple ethics have been taking hit after hit. If I was a company making a deal with apple I would not trust them.

You say that they can only get away with this once, I'm not sure. They'll be able to get away with this as long as the iPhone is seen as iconic, rather than just another mobile. While the iPhone is in effect the gold standard of mobiles, as long as they stay legal they will be able to do what they like. I'm not saying it's right, but I believe it to be the truth.

[Peace]

Didn't Jobs first say all he wanted was a 1% market share ?


BAM!

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by ditzy

You say that they can only get away with this once, I'm not sure. They'll be able to get away with this as long as the iPhone is seen as iconic, rather than just another mobile. While the iPhone is in effect the gold standard of mobiles, as long as they stay legal they will be able to do what they like. I'm not saying it's right, but I believe it to be the truth.

and what happen when it losses its iconic status. It will then get treated worse than other mobile. Even with its iconic status apple shot itself in the foot for the best deal with carriers as they will now be treated like they have another deal on the side.

Means apple will not be the best deal. Every time apple does this means worse.
Even if they can get away with it in one market they will get treated with teh same distrust in other markets. I think this move by apple just proves they are becoming more short sighted and more unethical as a company.

[BongoBanger]

Rodimus, every phone company does this. It's part of the negotiation cycle.

The interesting thing that occurs to me is that Apple might not be in the driving seat here - suppose demand for the 3GS hasn't been stellar and they need to open the market?

Nah, probably not.

[mkrishnan]

Originally Posted by BongoBanger

Nah, probably not.

The year-long webs of secrecy would tend to argue against that, although in the broader picture, they have a big task ahead of them to keep pumping up market growth globally.

[ditzy]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime

and what happen when it losses its iconic status. It will then get treated worse than other mobile. Even with its iconic status apple shot itself in the foot for the best deal with carriers as they will now be treated like they have another deal on the side.

Means apple will not be the best deal. Every time apple does this means worse.
Even if they can get away with it in one market they will get treated with teh same distrust in other markets. I think this move by apple just proves they are becoming more short sighted and more unethical as a company.

The problem with you argument is that it assumes that Apple needs the carriers more than the carriers need them. I believe that in Britain O2 went from being the third placed carrier to first largely because of the iPhone. The only reason I moved to them was the iPhone. While the iPhone has the power to get people to move to a carrier that they otherwise would not, Apple have the power.
Obviously when the iPhone loses its status things will be different. Then the carriers will try to bully apple.