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iPhone in Canada in 2 Weeks?

Hmm... interesting... Should the phone actually make it's debut here in Canada, would I be able to load the Rogers specific firmware do you think? I mean I have my iPhone unlocked now on the Rogers network. I just want a working iPhone, so I just don't want to wait for Rogers, but I wouldn't mind not having to worry about software updates should the phone actually make its way to the network? Maybe if I iphonesimfree unlock it and put the rogers firmware and activate it on iTunes through Apple and Rogers. (Maybe I'm just rambling and getting ahead of myself here)
 
It's an interesting rumour, but I can't see Apple selling the phone through a luxury goods specialist. Having said that, if Rogers are totally being a PITA about selling the iPhone in Canada, perhaps this is Steve's way of getting back at them.

Imagine the scenario where Holt Renfrew sell half a million iPhones at a hundred bucks more than Rogers would have sold them for if they didn't dick around in the first place. Is that a plausible scenario.?

Whatever, I shall purchase an iPhone once they land in Canada. :D
 
Warning: Speaking out my backside on this one... Perhaps Apple is frustrated with the progress of negotiations with Rogers and has decided to sell the iPhone as an open product. If that were the case, they'd want as many retail outlets as possible on board, and Holt Renfrew just happens to be the first to leak. The high price might be Apple's attempt preserve margins, as they won't get a cut of the service price.
 
bketchum said:
Warning: Speaking out my backside on this one... Perhaps Apple is frustrated with the progress of negotiations with Rogers and has decided to sell the iPhone as an open product. If that were the case, they'd want as many retail outlets as possible on board, and Holt Renfrew just happens to be the first to leak. The high price might be Apple's attempt preserve margins, as they won't get a cut of the service price.
Click to expand...

That actually kind of makes sense. Also, other electronic stores might be inclined not to carry the unlocked iPhone for fear of Rogers retaliating against them somehow (e.g. by pulling all Rogers phones from their store?) I am not sure how this market works, though.

Also, if Holt Renfrew got the iPhones exclusively before Christmas and sold them at $799, people might actually be inclined to pay that ridiculous amount.
 
Good theory.

But, since Rogers is the only GSM Provider... Rogers will be happy with this anyway. No other network the iPhone could be used on in Canada.

bketchum said:
Warning: Speaking out my backside on this one... Perhaps Apple is frustrated with the progress of negotiations with Rogers and has decided to sell the iPhone as an open product. If that were the case, they'd want as many retail outlets as possible on board, and Holt Renfrew just happens to be the first to leak. The high price might be Apple's attempt preserve margins, as they won't get a cut of the service price.
Click to expand...
 
Ya good theories, but still doesn't totally make sense. I mean they would be selling the phone unlocked then right. If they are going around the backs of Rogers then they would ship the phone unlocked, if thats the case then every retail outlet in the USA would be all over it to. Cause heaps of people would buy the phone for $800 to have it officially unlocked by Apple... regardless I am interested to see where this goes, if anywhere
 
Stella said:
Good theory.

But, since Rogers is the only GSM Provider... Rogers will be happy with this anyway. No other network the iPhone could be used on in Canada.
Click to expand...

Yes. Maybe Apple had to change their business model on this one. Perhaps this is what happens when a greedy company tries to deal with an even greedier one. Friggin' Rogers. If there were a gsm alternative to them, I think a lot of Canadians would be getting in line for it.
 
jonny said:
Yes. Maybe Apple had to change their business model on this one. Perhaps this is what happens when a greedy company tries to deal with an even greedier one. Friggin' Rogers. If there were a gsm alternative to them, I think a lot of Canadians would be getting in line for it.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I am with what WAS the alternative -- Fido. It was great. Billing by the second, low rates, CHEAP long distance and roaming fees, no contracts, customer service open all hours of the day, voice mail was just a few bucks, etc. They'd offer you free new phones to upgrade periodically just for being a good customer. Everything you'd want "the good guys" to be.

Alas, Rogers took over and one by one, slowly but surely, services got canceled, hours got pulled back, fees went up and up and up, ... now I feel as shafted as everyone else.
 
Now that I think of it, wouldn't they have to deal with Rogers in some way, anyway? Visual Voicemail and all that. I guess it could be done in the software.

It seems more likely, if this has any truth to it, that either:
  1. Holt Renfrew is going to be one of many stores carrying it;
  2. Holt Renfrew is going to carry it exclusively until Christmas (gouging!)

It seems evident they will be tied to Rogers if it's coming in the near future.

I had originally thought they were working on a CDMA phone, so they could play Rogers against Bell. But if the phone is coming out soon, maybe Rogers caved? They probably really want those Christmas sales.
 
I cry myself to sleep every night because I want an iPhone, but there is no way I'm paying $799 for a 8gb iPhone. 32gb iPhone, yeah for sure. 8gb no way.

I don't even want an iPhone to come out in Canada until they have a newer version. I'll want the new one and I don't want to wait when I could have another one! I want a 16gb at least. 32gb would be GREAT, but it will be a while :(

The Stig
 
What might have happened is that while Rogers already had obvious exclusivity for the network, Apple wanted certain terms in order to give them exclusivity for the phone sales as well.

Rogers probably didn't feel like they needed to play along, so Apple decided to offer phone sales to other outlets (their only bargaining chip against Rogers' monopoly). So Rogers ends up with a monopoly over the monthly fees, but not the phone sales - which is probably pretty decent coin.
 
I've been saying for a while that there's only 2 ways that the iPhone will be coming to Canada.

1. A smaller company buys bandwidth in the next auction, creates a GSM compeditor for Rogers and gives Apple the same leverage that they seem to have had to deal in the European markets. This, of course, relies on legislation that keeps Rogers from just gobbling up the new bandwidth (or companies like Fido) like they have before. In this instance I can't see us getting the iPhone for another year...

2. Apple comes out with a CDMA compatable phone, thus putting Bell into a competition with Rogers over who gets the handset. In this instance we have to wait for Apple to release the new phone, which probably won't happen for another year.

of course, there is an option 3.

3. Neither Bell or Rogers decide the revenue generated from the iPhone market is enough to offset reducing their over-inflated price structures.
 
11thIndian said:
...of course, there is an option 3.

3. Neither Bell or Rogers decide the revenue generated from the iPhone market is enough to offset reducing their over-inflated price structures.
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to go with that option. Can Rogers or Bell support the Visual Voicemail feature? I heard "No" back in May WRT Rogers. Anyone know if they have been working on that since?
 
I wouldn't put it past Rogers to charge $799. Look how many things still cost so much more in Canada. I bought a Scrabble dictionary today and on the cover it said $7.50USD $9.90CAD. What's up with that? It's been soooo many years since the exchange rate was that much different, and it was a very new edition of the dictionary. Look at the price difference Canon charges too.
 
not cool

This rumor is down right mean, and ill willed.

I've been sick with with Envy about not getting the chance to own the best gadget ever.

and now, some sick F**k comes up with a rumor like this.....

Might as well of said Burger King will offer iPhones in kids meals....i mean it is that far fetched...

My Rogers contract expires In the first week of the new year. If there is no iPhone in Canada by then, i'm saying F it and canceling my contract and just going back to a land line.....I resent my cell phone too much to even use it now let alone start a whole new contract.

Stupid rumor. absurd
 
This is from an ehMac.ca thread, posted this morning (take it for what you will):

"This is the reply from personalshopping@HoltRenfrew.com...

Holt Renfrew will not be carrying the iphone. I would check with your
local cell phone dealer.

Holt Renfrew
Personal Shopping, Bloor Street416. 960. 2554
50 Bloor St. West
Toronto, ON M4W 1A1"

I have been able to avoid a lot of the angst that others seem to have in this thread, through a therapeutic purchase of an unlocked iPhone which I have been enjoying for 2 weeks now... (not gloating, just suggesting this an an option for those who cannot stand the wait anymore).
 
Scottyk9 said:
I have been able to avoid a lot of the angst that others seem to have in this thread, through a therapeutic purchase of an unlocked iPhone which I have been enjoying for 2 weeks now... (not gloating, just suggesting this an an option for those who cannot stand the wait anymore).
Click to expand...

I have an opportunity to do so next month, but I'm going to wait and see what becomes of the whole cat-and-mouse unlock fiasco. Sadly, a new phone isn't tops on my list of priorities anyway.

quigleybc: have you checked out Virgin mobile? You'll never be able to run a GSM phone on their network, but they seem to have much better pricing and options than the Big Guys.
 
mrhockey123 said:
lol at the rumor...
Would you like an iPhone with that $300 scarf?

If they priced the iPhone at 799 and Ted Rogers allowed it, he would be lynched by the CRTC let alone 30 million canadians. At least with the iPods you're only mildly getting ripped.

Wait maybe $799 was what your monthly wireless charges would be with iPhone? seriously, if Rogers wants the iPhone, they will have to lower data rates. No consumer is going to pay that much.

My Touch can do everything an iPhone can (except EDGE and camera / bluetooth) without a big rogers anchor.
Click to expand...

It also can't allow you to add notes, or manually enter iCal information or call anyone...
 
My unlocked iPhone works great on rogers. except for the data plan i bought for it. $15 for 1.5 megs! and as you buy more data, the plan gets more expensive per byte! i loaded one web page yesterday on EDGE and used a quarter of my monthly limit. Plus, thats with a 3 yar contract. still love my iPhone though, and it dosn't make a huge differance since i have wifi everyewhere anyways.
 
chuckles:) said:
My unlocked iPhone works great on rogers. except for the data plan i bought for it. $15 for 1.5 megs! and as you buy more data, the plan gets more expensive per byte! i loaded one web page yesterday on EDGE and used a quarter of my monthly limit. Plus, thats with a 3 yar contract. still love my iPhone though, and it dosn't make a huge differance since i have wifi everyewhere anyways.
Click to expand...

I also have an unlocked iPhone on Rogers and it works great! Got tired of waiting. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. As for the Holt-RenScrew deal, I highly doubt it. Seriously, do they think we are that dumb? It's kind of insulting, actually.

$15 for 1.5MB?? There is a $10 for 10MB plan that you should look into. Still super crappy, but better than the one you have.
 
Scandals said:
I also have an unlocked iPhone on Rogers and it works great! Got tired of waiting. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. As for the Holt-RenScrew deal, I highly doubt it. Seriously, do they think we are that dumb? It's kind of insulting, actually.

$15 for 1.5MB?? There is a $10 for 10MB plan that you should look into. Still super crappy, but better than the one you have.
Click to expand...

i got a $5 for 10mb plan. rogers vision corp. it's supposed to be for 3g video phones but has EDGE fallback. i'll use it outside of the city.

I too appreciate my unlocked phone.
 
Stop toying with my emotions. Get us the the dang phone already Rogers and get your heads out your azzes and get a good data plan so we can catch up with the rest of the world....I`m sensitive....
 
jonny said:
i got a $5 for 10mb plan. rogers vision corp. it's supposed to be for 3g video phones but has EDGE fallback. i'll use it outside of the city.

I too appreciate my unlocked phone.
Click to expand...

1GB for 65$ with Rogers
 
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