Ok, UK, France and Germany have it...what about the richest market in Europe? Please bring it to Switzerland, Apple..! And with Sunrise, of course...
Swisscom surely... i hope..
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Apple Announces that Orange is Exclusive iPhone Carrier in France
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Swisscom surely... i hope..
iPhone in the northern Europe
They have not forgotten about the Nordic countries. However, it seems that we belong to the "second wave". Which is a nice way of saying that Apple has no idea how to circumvent the legislation dealing with mobile phone unlocking.
What is actually the situation in Sweden? I know Telia-Sonera has been having some negotiations with Apple, but at least in Finland the legislation is very clear at this point. The iPhone must not be locked to any carrier under any circumstances.
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Just to give our friends on the other side of the Atlantic ocean some idea of the local unsubsidized cellular costs, I checked the prices of one of the nationwide operators:
National calls are around 8 cents/minute and 8 cents/SMS (around 0.11 USD), no cost for receiving calls or SMSs. Unlimited data access is around 12 EUR/month at 384 kbit/s and 22 EUR/mo. for 1024 kbit/s. All sorts of "1000 min/mo." packages may lower the prices more than by half but comparing them is very difficult. Switching to another carrier does not usually produce any costs to the customer.
A plain and simple phone costs around 50 EUR, a basic smart phone with 3G, camera, Symbian S60, etc. is around 250 EUR, and a real smart phone (Nokia N95) is around 600 euros. All prices include VAT (22% in here) and 1 EUR = 1.4 USD (unless the USD has continued its free fall).
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So, the unsubsidized 1000 EUR for iPhone seems to be a bit high. The competition is around 600-700 EUR street price, so 700 EUR would be in the ballpark. The "400 EUR" price tag is not possible unsubsidized unless Apple knows better than, e.g., Nokia how to make phones at a low cost.
I hope they don't forget about Sweden
They have not forgotten about the Nordic countries. However, it seems that we belong to the "second wave". Which is a nice way of saying that Apple has no idea how to circumvent the legislation dealing with mobile phone unlocking.
What is actually the situation in Sweden? I know Telia-Sonera has been having some negotiations with Apple, but at least in Finland the legislation is very clear at this point. The iPhone must not be locked to any carrier under any circumstances.
---
Just to give our friends on the other side of the Atlantic ocean some idea of the local unsubsidized cellular costs, I checked the prices of one of the nationwide operators:
National calls are around 8 cents/minute and 8 cents/SMS (around 0.11 USD), no cost for receiving calls or SMSs. Unlimited data access is around 12 EUR/month at 384 kbit/s and 22 EUR/mo. for 1024 kbit/s. All sorts of "1000 min/mo." packages may lower the prices more than by half but comparing them is very difficult. Switching to another carrier does not usually produce any costs to the customer.
A plain and simple phone costs around 50 EUR, a basic smart phone with 3G, camera, Symbian S60, etc. is around 250 EUR, and a real smart phone (Nokia N95) is around 600 euros. All prices include VAT (22% in here) and 1 EUR = 1.4 USD (unless the USD has continued its free fall).
---
So, the unsubsidized 1000 EUR for iPhone seems to be a bit high. The competition is around 600-700 EUR street price, so 700 EUR would be in the ballpark. The "400 EUR" price tag is not possible unsubsidized unless Apple knows better than, e.g., Nokia how to make phones at a low cost.
Call prices within the EU
Which "abroad"?
Now that the EU has set limits to the maximum rates, those prices cannot be within the EU (or EU + Norway but NOT Switzerland). From the beginning of September, the international intra-EU call prices have dropped some 60 %.
All local operators seem to have almost exactly the same prices: 0.60 EUR/min for calling to another EU country, and 0.29 EUR/min for receiving calls when in another EU country. Calling to the US costs about the same or even less depending on the carrier.
I find this quite reasonable, but it is sad nothing was done to data roaming prices or SMS prices.
Which "abroad"?
Now that the EU has set limits to the maximum rates, those prices cannot be within the EU (or EU + Norway but NOT Switzerland). From the beginning of September, the international intra-EU call prices have dropped some 60 %.
All local operators seem to have almost exactly the same prices: 0.60 EUR/min for calling to another EU country, and 0.29 EUR/min for receiving calls when in another EU country. Calling to the US costs about the same or even less depending on the carrier.
I find this quite reasonable, but it is sad nothing was done to data roaming prices or SMS prices.
From US network to a US phone. That is, it could be a person standing next to me. (45 SEK/min by Telenor to be more precise)
The sandbox is larger than US or EU. I want to be able to make a local call without getting robbed blind. Apples business model forced me buying an unlocked GPS Nokia last week. I just switch SIM cards when I travel.
I know this is like compare "Apple to Oranges" but does anyone from Australia have any idea who the iPhone carrier in Australia would be. I have heard that Telstra has absolutely not interest in taking up the iPhone because of Apple's requirements.
Ok, UK, France and Germany have it...what about the richest market in Europe? Please bring it to Switzerland, Apple..! And with Sunrise, of course...
Switzerland may be rich but the market's also very small due to the small size of the country. When you break down the market into the three (major) language regions you don't get more than 2 million people for each segment of which maybe 10'000-20'000 are potential buyers. When looking at the sales numbers of the iPhone you'll quickly see that this number is total peanuts for Apple and there's no real impetus for bringing the phone here anytime soon. It's simply not worth the trouble.
So I guess we'll have to walk across the border to France and get the phone for 1700 CHF
kis
Apple and Orange don't yet seemed to have released details about the tarrifs yet. Maybe these could be used to counter the "6 month " unlocking rule by creating a lop-sided subscription model.
Assuming the monthly charge is the same as has been announced for the UK (35 pounds), they could charge 50 pounds for the first 6 months, then reduce it to 20 for the remainder of the contract. This would have the effect of pushing up the cost of purchasing an unlocked phone, which I think is the most Apple can hope for.
I don't think Apple will be able to prevent the unlocking of French phones and the subsequent resale of them, what they can do is make the whole process as big a pain in the arse as possible.
Assuming the monthly charge is the same as has been announced for the UK (35 pounds), they could charge 50 pounds for the first 6 months, then reduce it to 20 for the remainder of the contract. This would have the effect of pushing up the cost of purchasing an unlocked phone, which I think is the most Apple can hope for.
I don't think Apple will be able to prevent the unlocking of French phones and the subsequent resale of them, what they can do is make the whole process as big a pain in the arse as possible.
.... 399 euro's maybe , it's all so confusing , imean nobody knows the price if it is'nt spelled right, right...pfff ;-)
749 Euros unlocked !
http://www.phoneandphone.com/search/?action=item&idp=719&idc=1
Worth considering if you hate O2 in the UK. They won't ship outside France, and this might be the contractual agreement with companies and resellers, but it won't stop people buying it and flogging via eBay.....
http://www.phoneandphone.com/search/?action=item&idp=719&idc=1
Worth considering if you hate O2 in the UK. They won't ship outside France, and this might be the contractual agreement with companies and resellers, but it won't stop people buying it and flogging via eBay.....
Sorry but I couldn't resist.
Maybe Swiss people are richer because they (their banks) helped the Nazis robbing the Jews and other minorities during WWII. Or maybe because they (their banks) did help criminals of all over the world to laundry and hide money.
Just maybe...
Euro/euros/EUR/
Not necessarily. In many countries the currency symbol is placed after the number due to historical reasons. For example, a hundred French francs is spelled "100 F" also in English (not "F100"). Both "399" and "399 " are thus used. The abbreviation (EUR) is always placed in front of the number.
The situation with the plural (natural vs. s-less) is quite complicated, as well. The Commission uses the s-less plural in legislation, but the Directorate-General for Translation recommends the natural plural to be used in other documents.
Also, I would rather write "399 euro" instead of "399 Euro", as currency units should not be capitalized.
So, the officially expressions are: "399 euro", "399 euros", "EUR 399", "399" and "399 ". I would use "399 euros", but that is just a matter of taste (the euro signs tend to disappear or transform).
(And, really, does all of this matter at all?)
Not necessarily. In many countries the currency symbol is placed after the number due to historical reasons. For example, a hundred French francs is spelled "100 F" also in English (not "F100"). Both "399" and "399 " are thus used. The abbreviation (EUR) is always placed in front of the number.
The situation with the plural (natural vs. s-less) is quite complicated, as well. The Commission uses the s-less plural in legislation, but the Directorate-General for Translation recommends the natural plural to be used in other documents.
Also, I would rather write "399 euro" instead of "399 Euro", as currency units should not be capitalized.
So, the officially expressions are: "399 euro", "399 euros", "EUR 399", "399" and "399 ". I would use "399 euros", but that is just a matter of taste (the euro signs tend to disappear or transform).
(And, really, does all of this matter at all?)
Everyone's going apoplectic at the idea of an unlocked iPhone costing 999 - I think that price is actually about right when you consider that here in Belgium (where it's illegal to have a phone locked for any duration and it's not allowed to subsidise handsets like they do in other European countries) the high-end HTC (QTEK) handsets cost about the same and even the mid-range PDA phones are 500 or there abouts.
I would pay 999 for an iPhone, personally I'd rather they kept it out of the range of the great unwashed...
I would pay 999 for an iPhone, personally I'd rather they kept it out of the range of the great unwashed...
Switzerland may be rich but the market's also very small due to the small size of the country. When you break down the market into the three (major) language regions you don't get more than 2 million people for each segment of which maybe 10'000-20'000 are potential buyers. When looking at the sales numbers of the iPhone you'll quickly see that this number is total peanuts for Apple and there's no real impetus for bringing the phone here anytime soon. It's simply not worth the trouble.
So I guess we'll have to walk across the border to France and get the phone for 1700 CHF
kis
Unfort. I have to agree with you, at least partly...Apple may see CH as a comparatively small market...yet it is a very interesting place to sell products at a premium...but not for 1700 CHF, please...
Sorry but I couldn't resist.
Maybe Swiss people are richer because they (their banks) helped the Nazis robbing the Jews and other minorities during WWII. Or maybe because they (their banks) did help criminals of all over the world to laundry and hide money.
Just maybe...
Again this crap about "robbing jews"? Please don't start, because it makes no sense at all...people invest in CH because they still see it as a stable place with a great cluster of financial services...money laundering is just a distortion of the system, because of the corruption practiced by many in the world, including wonderful African leaders full of international "aid" money.
As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure Israel got enough payments already for the zionist community...in fact, MUCH more than enough, as these "indemnities" seem to have no end whatsoever. What if you start paying now for the racist massacres and discrimination against Palestinians and the like?
Not an interesting take on the subject, right? So let's get back on topic here.
Sorry but I couldn't resist.
Maybe Swiss people are richer because they (their banks) helped the Nazis robbing the Jews and other minorities during WWII. Or maybe because they (their banks) did help criminals of all over the world to laundry and hide money.
Just maybe...
Is there a fortune to be made washing money?
Once an official 'unlocked' version is out, it will take the usual hackers a relative small effort to somehow duplicate the software on those phones to the other 'locked' versions - once that's possible, you can easily use your lower priced phone and update it just as easy instead of all the unlocking fuss now
a higher priced version wil not sell well unless it's a very small difference
a higher priced version wil not sell well unless it's a very small difference