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iPhone Buyer Statistics, O2 Confirmed for UK?

xUKHCx said:
Well there is an increasing trend to sign up for 18 months contracts but still generally people only want yearly ones. I would sign up for 18 months if it meant I could get the iPhone (maybe a little cheaper but that is not apples way)
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I was in the mind never to go with an 18 month contract, but it certainly is the way all contracts seem to be going in the UK at the moment, unless you're willing to pay more for the same thing just to stay on 12 months.

I am however on an 18 month contract now, as I had to make 1 concession when dealing with O2 and getting my current contract deal and phone, it saves me in the long run and gives me more bargaining power against them in the long run I guess. If you speak to O2 right, they will usually do something for you for customer loyalty, and not just the "off the shelf" offers, so to speak.

I hope it does go to multiple carriers, but while Apple demands revenue etc I doubt that will happen. Who knows though, maybe Apple will change their demands slightly after they see how things pan out in the US...given that, as mpw said, the Europe and UK markets are very different, they need to do their homework here.
 
GilGrissom said:
I received a phone call from a friend who has a relative with Orange as one of his clients currently. He seems completely adamant that it definitely is O2 to get the iPhone in the UK and that they are set to release it at Christmas time.

He also gave me some other pretty specific details, such as pricing.

iPhone to cost £150-£200
Minimal 18 month contract (baring in mind we don't get 2 year contracts...yet...in the UK, but do get a lot of 18 months now)
Contract prices £55-£75

Take this with a pinch of salt if you want, by all means, I thought I'd just pass on the information I was given.

I guess the pricing could change at the last minute, and probably will.

I popped into my local O2 store today to chat to the people there to see if they've heard anything from the grape vine, (not that they can tell me, but always worth a shot!) The guy wouldn't confirm O2 definitely have it and said that Vodafone are still in it, but said that O2 would be releasing it at Christmas, if they did confirm it that is. He had no ideas on pricing though.
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Working for o2 I can say that we already offer 24 month contracts that give you extra money off the line rental - it was introduced a month or so ago.

With regards to staff knowing about the iPhone - the guy in the store is just pulling that information out of nowhere. As a network we barely know what phones are coming out in a week's time - very little information is communicated to store staff. Also an internal memo was released two weeks ago highlighting that o2's supposed 'contract' with Apple was still a rumour and nothing has been agreed - and that store staff should say that to customers and be honest and open about it.

From a network perspective I find o2 to be the best for my area in terms of reception. Service-wise all the networks are as bad as each other, o2 being just as bad as the others - but data rates are going to be changing shortly to include unlimited browsing for a set fee. Wish I knew what that fee was! I would imagine around £15 based on what their recent bolt-on charges have changed to, but that still doesn't beat T-Mobile's £7.50 a month.

Moral of the story? Retail people know sod all about the iPhone. Don't believe anything they say, they'll be the last to know.

-Leemo
 
btw my comment about not offering contracts of two years wasn't a trend thing. Telcos. here (Jersey) aren't allowed buy law to tie you in for more than 12months, and like I said that's a legal limit in Belgium of 6months I've been told.
 
Ye I figured the O2 employee wouldn't know much, the only thing he told me was that if they do get it they're hoping for a Christmas release.

The phone call from my friend prompted me to pop in and ask anyway.

If you look here: http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/18/expansys-uk-offering-unlocked-iphone/, Engadget just posted that Expansys UK had a page up on the iPhone saying it was SIM-free...obviously it's changed already and this is almost completely certainly just a typo, as they sell a lot of SIM-free phones, it was probably just normal procedure, until someone realised that it was wrong. But worth noting anyway, incase you guys haven't already seen it.
 
The only thing that concerns me is, would Apple really release a 3G iPhone so soon after releasing a none-3G iPhone in the US?

If Apple felt that strongly about the limitations with the 3G chip, would they risk the integrity of the entire device to make the operators happy? (understanding that without the operators it won't sell unless its SIM free obviously).

If release was around Christmas or early New Year, maybe it will be a 3G one if newer 3G chips can be built, which apparently is underway as I understand it, to make them smaller and less power hungry, solving Apple's concerns.

I just think there is going to be a lot of disgruntled US iPhone users if Apple do a 3G version so soon.

Realistically I think it will be Christmas at the absolute earliest, may even fall back until they can do a full 3G phone for everyone, but then again the phone industry is moving very fast all the time...it would be nearly a year then since the iPhone was around and all it's gained is 3G??

If Apple wait too long, it would make you think if they would simply wait until iPhone v2 comes out for everyone until Europe get it...as timing is important. Seems to get rather complicated!
 
Vodafone said goodbye to iPhone

In February the largest cellular carrier of Europe Vodafone has made friends with Google, that has called splash in hearings about the future iPhone retailer. But one of these days Vodafone has declared, that Europe is not America and spoilt europeans wants all or nothing… So iPhone’s sales can stop therefore … that in it 3G is absent. The head of company Arun Sarin says, that even EDGE - is yesterday, speed is supposedly too small. Thus Vodafone has hinted Apple about possible “cooperation”.
 
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