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Both Telecom Italia and Vodafone to Offer iPhone in Italy

The problem with this is if the iPhone becomes available for multiple carriers, it will loose it's prestige and "cool factor." The iPhone will just be another phone that anyone can get for pretty much any carrier. Look at what happened to the Motorola Razor....It was a hot, cool phone....then everyone was able to get it. How many people, now, would say that the Razor is still the "must have" phone, today?
 
It's a good idea at this point to bear in mind what has not been announced today.

While a lot of the press are keen to spin this as an about-face on Apple's part, it isn't. The iPhone is still exclusive to one carrier in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany and France. If sales have proven disappointing in Europe so far, I suspect that contract pricing and terms have been a much greater deterrent to potential buyers than carrier exclusivity.

Also, while Vodafone and TIM have announced the iPhone in Italy, neither Wind nor 3 have. Odds of it being unlocked, in Italy at least, are slim.

I'm pretty sure Apple's strategy of exclusivity has never been intended to be very long term, just long enough to create demand among carriers as well as Joe Public. Thus when Vodafone (or any other provider) announces to Apple that they'll be loading the iPhone up with their crappy services, Apple can easily threaten to take it elsewhere...
 
Antares said:
The problem with this is if the iPhone becomes available for multiple carriers, it will loose it's prestige and "cool factor." The iPhone will just be another phone that anyone can get for pretty much any carrier. Look at what happened to the Motorola Razor....It was a hot, cool phone....then everyone was able to get it. How many people, now, would say that the Razor is still the "must have" phone, today?
Click to expand...

well iphone lost some of the cool factor here in the uk when o2/cpw reduced the price form £269 to £169; i now see some distinctly uncool and chavy people with iphones. but apple are in this to sell phones and as iphone becomes more ubiquitous it will necessarily be less cool.
 
Antares said:
The problem with this is if the iPhone becomes available for multiple carriers, it will loose it's prestige and "cool factor." The iPhone will just be another phone that anyone can get for pretty much any carrier. Look at what happened to the Motorola Razor....It was a hot, cool phone....then everyone was able to get it. How many people, now, would say that the Razor is still the "must have" phone, today?
Click to expand...

I suspect Apple would rather have Nokia's business than Motorola's. The iPhone isn't just cool, it's good. While the RAZR was an astounding success, Nokias such as the 3310 and the 1100 have sold into 9 figures. Largely thanks to ease of use. I don't think Apple's in the mobile business to be a one trick pony.
 
sorry if this is a stupid question but we're hearing about more and more areas offering the unlocked iphone.

Could the US be in for a surprise in June? maybe the AT+T/Apple deal was only 1 year?
 
The iPhone is simply the best phone around (if you'd ask me) and I don't care whether people find it cool or not. The more people enjoy the iPhone, the better.

Yet to hear anything official about Belgium and/or the Netherlands though. When released in either one, I'll get one.
 
From Italy, I can confirm:

The statements from TIM and Vodafone were explicitly addressing the UMTS network, so we're talking about the 3G iPhone, not the EDGE.

As far as the "unlock" is concerned, the business model reported in today's newspaper for Italy is:
- first nine months locked with the chosen operator (TIM or Vodafone)
- possibility to unlock and switch to another operator after nine months, with a fee payment
- possibility to unlock for free after 18 months

so it's not a complete unlocking
 
Nearly two months ago iPhone was launched in Austria, exclusive to T-Mobile Austria.

According to heise.de, a well known German IT website, there are only 8,000 devices in use now. They say, there is a considerable number of iPhones in use that has been imported from France (remember: you can buy them unlocked without contract there and importing is easy within the EU), so the real sales are even lower.

T-Mobile Germany had to lower the price for the device and they introduced an "entry level" pricing plan, but it is still considered expensive. While T-Mo in Germany gives no official statistics many experts say sales are far lower than expected.

Apples exclusivity model -while working in the USA- has failed in Europe. I hope apple has learned this lesson well.

Christian
 
jeff16years said:
Could the US be in for a surprise in June? maybe the AT+T/Apple deal was only 1 year?
Click to expand...

Indications are that the AT&T deal runs anywhere from 2-5 years. They could always amend that deal, but I don't see AT&T going for it unless Apple cuts out revenue sharing which I doubt will happen.

Europeans don't put up with locked phones, but folks in the US can't seem to force the telecoms out of their draconian ways. If the consumer took a harder line stance, I think the telecoms would start to relax their policies, but too many people are all too eager to sign that 2 year contract. :(
 
grigio60 said:
From Italy, I can confirm:

The statements from TIM and Vodafone were explicitly addressing the UMTS network, so we're talking about the 3G iPhone, not the EDGE.

As far as the "unlock" is concerned, the business model reported in today's newspaper for Italy is:
- first nine months locked with the chosen operator
- possibility to unlock and switch to another operator after nine months, with a fee payment
- possibility to unlock for free after 18 months

so it's not a complete unlocking
Click to expand...

No surprise. Apple is fighting hard to never sell truely unlocked iPhones without any connection to certain operators.
 
still no iPhone in china. But thats not surprising given how bad mac business has been in china for years. Apple just doesn't know how to do business in china at all.
 
Interesting

l0ne said:
Important detail: Vodafone does not offer an EDGE network in Italy. (Telecom does.)
Click to expand...

A 2 tiered system?!

It could happen if only Apple decides to sell the 1st Gen iPhone at a lower price (Maybe 100 Euros)

Just a thought
 
well, i doubt this will mean that at&t won't be the carrier here in the US. but maybe that will change later.

here's hoping that the 3G iPhone will come at wwdc
 
phytonix said:
still no iPhone in china. But thats not surprising given how bad mac business has been in china for years. Apple just doesn't know how to do business in china at all.
Click to expand...

the problem in launching iphone in china is that the chinese are only launching 3g in any serious scale during the olympics - and the 3g version they are launching then is not compatible with any other 3g netword used in the world.
 
sjo said:
seriously? they build edge in order to offer iphone? well, that was one expensive experiment :) . i'd expect some heads to roll in their headquarters.
Click to expand...

They built a bit of edge, but I think it was just where towers needed upgrading/replacing anyway so didn't spend a lot on it. They've never released a coverage map for it either, but they claimed 30% coverage (which is pathetic.. remember these figures are population based - you can basically read that as 'major cities only, mainly London').

O2s 3G is just as bad - being by far the worst of any of the carriers. They've been dinged by Ofcom for their failure to meet their coverage targets, despite being given an extra six months to do so:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...ake-o2-meet-3g-rollout-obligation-788049.html
 
Finalmente!

I hope to see a good "flat" for internet from them. Internet plan prices in Italy sucks.
 
l0ne said:
Important detail: Vodafone does not offer an EDGE network in Italy. (Telecom does.)
Click to expand...

Indeed TIM is a better choice, when you don't find a 3G network, EDGE is ok.

All depens on plan's prices.
 
Any Gossip about Greece?

Vodafone is in Greece too. So am wondering if the market has any rumours on what will happen there and possibly when, as the company made an announcement today from UK (May 6)
(Vodafone bought out Panafon several years back)
 
Awesome that there will be at least some choice of carriers in Italy.

Too bad there is no major compatible network in Canada other than Rogers, because I am hopeful that multiple-carrier support will be the future for the iPhone, at least outside the U.S.
 
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