I don't understand where you are coming from? From my understanding the 3G technology is an international standard, and that a device that uses 3G compatible radio parts will function with any 3G service, it does not require market specific negotiation or approval as long as 3G is already an approved standard. If I buy a 3G phone here in New Zealand, it will work on any 3G network as long as I have a SIM for that network, or one that is roaming enabled with a cellular provider that has a service agreement with my contractual providor. It is not up to the manufacturer of the phone to ensure that such agreements exist.
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I don't understand where you are coming from? From my understanding the 3G technology is an international standard, and that a device that uses 3G compatible radio parts will function with any 3G service, it does not require market specific negotiation or approval as long as 3G is already an approved standard. If I buy a 3G phone here in New Zealand, it will work on any 3G network as long as I have a SIM for that network, or one that is roaming enabled with a cellular provider that has a service agreement with my contractual providor. It is not up to the manufacturer of the phone to ensure that such agreements exist.
these countries get theirs late because their market isn't as big as the countries that got theirs early and they didn't know how well the iPad would sell so I guess the early countries were a trial and error before distributing globally? And also they had supply constrains along with tons of stuff. I guess.
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Let me break it down for you. Part of the fuctionality of the 3G iPhone is to have a data plan available on a non-subscription basis. That's not necessarily a feature offered by every provider. In addition, not every country has MicroSIMs yet. Apple wants to be able to sell an iPad and have a user set up a wireless account on their iPad with relative ease. That's not a given in every country where 3G is available. As I said earlier, I was in several of the newly-added countries this summer. MicroSIMS were not readily available then. I suspect that's now been remedied.
Not to mention getting these products legal (FCC Regs and what not, here in the states) in each country, priority ONE is their largest markets, then the others. There are also massive tariffs and taxes to deal with, so Apple has to determine whether it's worth spending the money. I have a friend that's in Brazil right now, says an iPhone 4 retails for over $2000 (or 2000 of whatever their currency is but according to her it's very comporable to the USD). She also says that if she bought an iPad here in the states (not available in Brazil) she would have to pay 80% of the retail in taxes at customs. I'm sure Apple looks at that and wonders whether it's worth fighting to get approval for it to be a marketable device in a country that's going to import-tax it so heavily it's going to hardly sell at all.
Even Wi-Fi devices have to be approved, it's not just 3G. I'm not an international trade expert but I know even the Wi Fi versions need FCC approval to sell here in the states, anything that uses any type of a radio signal, so that includes bluetooth too, believe it or not.
$0.02
-John
Don't most countries have a government agency like the United States FCC that certify all mobile phones before they can be sold to the public, insuring compliance with spectrum allocations, technical standards, and safe SAR (radiation) levels?
Both points are invalid. Because:
1. General supply
Cause the iPad is made i China (or like) and hence general supply do not apply to either the US or Europe - they both stand equal as the iPad need to be imported to both locations.
If they did not have enough of them they could always release in both and share between them, instead of serving one part of the market and let the other part wait for 8 months.
2. Wireless partnerships
- For the iPad (1st. generation) it first released as WIFI only, so no special wireless partnership needed.
- For the iPad 2 (2nd. generation) such partnerships are already established for the 1st. generation and hence no need or much easier to renew them for the 2nd. generation.
So really I do not see why Apple behave this way. Unless they of course value their customers differently.
US customers are probably more important than the European ones, even though we have not been hit that hard with recession over here.
Go figure!
Does not your country test/regulate radio transmitters, including mobile phones, Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMAX, microwave transmitters, before they're allowed to be sold to the public?
Maybe that's just a US thing, but as overly-protective as Europe seems about anything relating to the potential health effects of people, I'd be surprised if they don't.
Both points are invalid. Because:
1. General supply
Cause the iPad is made i China (or like) and hence general supply do not apply to either the US or Europe - they both stand equal as the iPad need to be imported to both locations.
If they did not have enough of them they could always release in both and share between them, instead of serving one part of the market and let the other part wait for 8 months.
2. Wireless partnerships
- For the iPad (1st. generation) it first released as WIFI only, so no special wireless partnership needed.
- For the iPad 2 (2nd. generation) such partnerships are already established for the 1st. generation and hence no need or much easier to renew them for the 2nd. generation.
So really I do not see why Apple behave this way. Unless they of course value their customers differently.
US customers are probably more important than the European ones, even though we have not been hit that hard with recession over here.
Go figure!
As to point 1, manufacturing was at just under a million units a month at first and it's now at a potential for nearly 3 million a month. Rather than give the entire world limited access to iPads Apple focused on its home market and a few others at first. As demand in those markets was met it allowed them to roll out elsewhere. As to distribution, it's not just a matter of sending out units from China. They need to establish pricing and partnerships in the countries being served. That's local.
As to 2, the 1st gen iPad has both Wifi-only and 3G models. Apple needs to ensure that they have 3G partnerships in place for the 1st generation. Obviously when the 2nd Gen comes out those partnerships will have been established.
Both points are invalid. Because:
1. General supply
Cause the iPad is made i China (or like) and hence general supply do not apply to either the US or Europe - they both stand equal as the iPad need to be imported to both locations.
If they did not have enough of them they could always release in both and share between them, instead of serving one part of the market and let the other part wait for 8 months.
2. Wireless partnerships
- For the iPad (1st. generation) it first released as WIFI only, so no special wireless partnership needed.
- For the iPad 2 (2nd. generation) such partnerships are already established for the 1st. generation and hence no need or much easier to renew them for the 2nd. generation.
So really I do not see why Apple behave this way. Unless they of course value their customers differently.
US customers are probably more important than the European ones, even though we have not been hit that hard with recession over here.
Go figure!
Wi-Fi, in the US at least, DOES require licensing from the FCC. Now, if they included a Wi-Fi radio that was already licensed that's one thing (like most laptop manufacturers do, it doesn't matter what brand it's probably one of just a couple of different WiFi 'Cards'), but I remember seeing the videos from Apple Pre-Release having a stating that the device did not yet receive FCC approval. Not a regulations expert, but I still think there might have been roadblocks for certain, more regulation stringent countries.
Second, yes, we've been hit by the recession. Unemployment is at an all time high. 1 out of every 10 people who were working three years ago aren't working now. What that statistic doesn't show, is all of the folks who weren't working before but NEED to work now (the stay at home mom whose husband got laid off, neither of them can find work, etc. But the stay at home mom isn't counted in the unemployment statistics) The recession started here, and it's a ripple effect to the other countries. However, we are Americans, we buy things we can't afford all of the time. iPad sales are fine. Not to mention alot of folks are downsizing heavily because of less job security/pay cuts/lost benefits, 'riding out the storm' so to speak, which gives them more cash (the way it should be honestly, if you only break even at the end of the month, it's time to downsize!)
Third, Yes, Markets do matter. Apple is not a non-profit organization trying to provide electronics to all of the starving children of the world, they are trying to make money. Why would they divide the iPads up, if they would sell completely out in one country, and then have a bunch left in another? That makes no sense, the faster you sell them the more money you've made. If they can send all that they produce to the US and sell all of those out in a couple of months, versus sending most to the US, and some to other countries where they might sell out but in a longer period of time. Well, it's not that hard of a decision from a pure profit perspective.
People always criticize Apples very typical, very normal marketing and supply strategies, like they are supposed to be our best friend. They are a company out for our wallets, the flipside is they have something we want, and we are willing to pay for it. They aren't evil and bent on world destruction (well, maybe, but hear me out anyway). They also aren't a charity group. They are an American Corporation.
Last time I checked the iPad was in demand and I'm sure some people in those countries would like to get their hands on one. Why would Apple wait until gen 2 to release the iPad in those countries? Millions will being buying an iPad for the holidays in the US, Canada, UK, ... Should Apple halt sales in those countries so customers don't buy a product that will be replaced in a few months after December?
iPad won't be released in Q1. The earliest it will be released is April, which is Q2.
Of course they test and certify new transmitter units, but as you say so do they in the US.
But still Apple manage to release their entire computer line (MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Pro) at the same time worldwide. So that can not be the reason they delay release.
A rather valid point.
But why not alter which region get the short end of the stick? For the fifth or sixth time in a row the US citizens get the long end while the European ones get the short end.
iPod mini, iTunes Store, iPhone, AppleTV, iPad, more?
I am sure we European would have more understanding for it if we get the first priority once in a while as well.
You seem to have missed that the WIFI version released before the 3G one.
Hence we all could have received the WIFI version, then if partnerships took additional time release the 3G in the countries continuously as the partnerships were signed. ...
So partnerships can not be the sole reason!