Who will be the UK iPhone carrier?

[Ben1l]

Does anyone have an idea about who will get iPhone in the UK?

 

[xUKHCx]

Does anyone have an idea about who will get iPhone in the UK?

All just speculation at the moment.

 

[FleurDuMal]

Are we even getting the iPhone? The Apple UK website shows no sign of it's existence. 😕

 

[mpw]

Are we even getting the iPhone? The Apple UK website shows no sign of it's existence. 😕

It'll come eventually, but I guess they want to get supply/demand in the US right first.

As for who? I don't think there's quite the prevalence of 'exclusively on O2/Orange/T-Mobile' deals in the UK as seems to be in the US.

 

[Queso]

As for who? I don't think there's quite the prevalence of 'exclusively on O2/Orange/T-Mobile' deals in the UK as seems to be in the US.

I wonder whether it may actually fall foul of EU anti-competition rules.

Mind you, the way things are going all four major carriers may boycott the iPhone entirely. Apple has by all accounts been coming in with its usual super-arrogance and getting people's backs up.

 

[mpw]

I wonder whether it may actually fall foul of EU anti-competition rules.

Mind you, the way things are going all four major carriers may boycott the iPhone entirely. Apple has by all accounts been coming in with its usual super-arrogance and getting people's backs up.

I guess they'd just sell it SIM free if the networks don't pick them up. Are there any features that require anything specific to a network contract?

In Jersey they've historically never bothered subsidizing as heavily as the UK and still people buy £600 smartphones, although with two new carriers in as many years the monopoly is gone and deals are trickling through.

 

[Queso]

I guess they'd just sell it SIM free if the networks don't pick them up. Are there any features that require anything specific to a network contract?

I suppose the push-mail feature requires network support but otherwise it should be standard GSM stuff. On the mainland I think they'll struggle for customers unless they partner with a network that can subsidise the upfront cost. Not that they won't sell any, but the numbers will be way below what they could be.

 

[Ben1l]

I suppose the push-mail feature requires network support but otherwise it should be standard GSM stuff. On the mainland I think they'll struggle for customers unless they partner with a network that can subsidise the upfront cost. Not that they won't sell any, but the numbers will be way below what they could be.

Isn’t there also the issue that European networks, well UK at lease are capable are way faster speeds than in the US....?