O2 is on the verge of wrapping up a deal to exclusively sell the Apple iPhone in the UK with a view to launching the iPod-based handset by Christmas.
A number of Europe's largest operators have been linked with a deal to sell the iPhone in Europe over recent weeks. It is understood that formal deals are now imminent and that O2 is about to sign a contract to sell the handset in the UK. It is understood that T-Mobile, Germany's largest operator, will sell the iPhone exclusively in Germany, while Orange, France's largest mobile phone company, has won the race to sell the handset in France. The iPhone is due to launch across those territories in November.
There has yet to be official confirmation of any deals and a spokesman for the UK's largest mobile operator said: "O2 has not signed a deal with Apple." None of the mobile phone operators would comment on the process given the complexity of negotiations with Apple.
Competition among mobile phone operators for a deal with Apple has been fierce, with the iPod maker understood to have driven a hard bargain. One source said that securing the most talked about handset of all time on an exclusive basis and making the economics work had proved a tough balancing act.
View: Independant
A number of Europe's largest operators have been linked with a deal to sell the iPhone in Europe over recent weeks. It is understood that formal deals are now imminent and that O2 is about to sign a contract to sell the handset in the UK. It is understood that T-Mobile, Germany's largest operator, will sell the iPhone exclusively in Germany, while Orange, France's largest mobile phone company, has won the race to sell the handset in France. The iPhone is due to launch across those territories in November.
There has yet to be official confirmation of any deals and a spokesman for the UK's largest mobile operator said: "O2 has not signed a deal with Apple." None of the mobile phone operators would comment on the process given the complexity of negotiations with Apple.
Competition among mobile phone operators for a deal with Apple has been fierce, with the iPod maker understood to have driven a hard bargain. One source said that securing the most talked about handset of all time on an exclusive basis and making the economics work had proved a tough balancing act.
View: Independant
Orange is the biggest operator in France.
T-Mobile is the biggest operator in Germany.
O2 is not the biggest operator in the UK... I would have thought they would have chosen Vodafone or Orange, both of which are 'bigger' than O2.
Last edited by AdmiralRooster on 05 Jul 2007 - 10:35
O2 really sucks where I live (Oxfordshire) the coverage is appalling, nearly as bad as Orange, compared to full signal practically everywhere with Vodaphone.
I'm not after an iPhone, but removing this choice from the consumer really blows
I don't intend to. I was just stating that (as usual) we Aussies will get royally ripped off (again)
I don't intend to. I was just stating that (as usual) we Aussies will get royally ripped off (again)
If it makes you feel any better, EVERYONE that buys this phone is getting royally ripped off.
How could they miss the marketing opportunity they get from the "Apple and Orange" partnership?
*grin*
Brand-loyalty is not so strong here, even seen as geeky, and current mobile phone manufacturers already have competing phones on the market at half the price of the iPhone.
IMO, it will only appeal to a select few people.
If ppl do choose the iphone you can guarantee it will be returned within a cpl weeks with lots of complaints that its a big pile of crap basically. Think im gonna go with one of the new nokia Nx series of phones, cus my sis has the N73 or 75 whatever it is and the picture+recording quality on it is amazing. Id prolly get the N95 or whatever.
Last edited by yakumo on 05 Jul 2007 - 11:07
Who pays for phones in the UK these days?
Who pays for phones in the UK these days?
Did you not read "The handset is likely to cost around £400 on top of signing a long-term contract with the mobile operator, as it will not be subsidised as is standard in the UK market."
Who pays for phones in the UK these days?
I doubt it, I'm sure the US have contracts where you get free phones, but not in the case of the iPhone. In the US you choose your tariff in iTunes, and no doubt Apple will have it the same way in the UK, so you'll have paid full price for the ridiculous thing before you've even chosen a contract of any price.
"likely"...
Someone will, within a month, have it cheap on a (hign end) contract deal. It will end up costing the customer the same in the long run, but there will be ways of getting it on Pay Monthly.
..or I'll eat an iPhone
Since when does anyone pay anything monthly for PAYG?
But for people who haven't got O2 contracts, why can't they just buy the phone sim free? Why does it have to be sold with a contract?
I think they'd get a lot more sales this way...
But for people who haven't got O2 contracts, why can't they just buy the phone sim free? Why does it have to be sold with a contract?
I think they'd get a lot more sales this way...
Likely you can, if you go shell out another contract renewal and pay to get the hardware upgrade (HUP), as if you havn't been with them for at least 5 years your HUP term is liklely the length of your contract. Least how it is in Canada. With Rogers I qualify for a HUP Every 18 months if I resign a 36 month contract... But if they discount the iPhone is yet to be disclosed. Apple has always been big on huge retail pricing with no drop for quite some time.
Providers may offer an iPhone package for $100 a month or something, gives you the iPhone, data and voice pack all in one 'reasonably' priced bill (yeah, right)
The European Phone market is years ahead of the US. Apple might get away with a lacklustre phone there, but I doubt they'll get away with it here.
If you WANT them to fail because you have some moral compunction with what they're doing, please let us know so we can ignore you in the future.
If you WANT them to fail because you have some moral compunction with what they're doing, please let us know so we can ignore you in the future.
Did I say that I WANTED them to fail? No, I just pointed out that Apple is incredibly arrogant, arrogant enough to charge people ridiculous amounts of money for a lacklustre phone (not to mention the additional "services" and battery changes), arrogant enough to have most of Europe's Phone companies out rightly say that their demands are wholly unreasonable, arrogant enough to not even bother developing a proper SDK for the thing.
I'm sorry if you can't face that fact, but it's the truth - Apple is milking everyone who buys or licenses their products for as much as they can. They don't care about you, they don't care about offering the best product possible, they just care about making as much money as possible and are more than happy to let their legions of fanboys and misinformed "geeks" give it to them.
I mean tell me, what makes the iPhone so special, apart from the Apple logo?
Please name a for profit company that ISN'T out to make as much money as possible. The law of the land is make the most amount of money with the least amount of work.
Please name a for profit company that ISN'T out to make as much money as possible. The law of the land is make the most amount of money with the least amount of work.
Virgin Enough Said
Bwahaha! So it was in their customers' best interests that they sacked half of the UK-based technical support agents, outsourced it to India, cut channels, started capping broadband, and raised prices? It had nothing to do with saving money, eh?
Bwahaha! So it was in their customers' best interests that they sacked half of the UK-based technical support agents, outsourced it to India, cut channels, started capping broadband, and raised prices? It had nothing to do with saving money, eh?
that was before virgin media took over if you do your research and im talking about Virgin NOT virgin media
Bwahaha! So it was in their customers' best interests that they sacked half of the UK-based technical support agents, outsourced it to India, cut channels, started capping broadband, and raised prices? It had nothing to do with saving money, eh?
that was before virgin media took over if you do your research and im talking about Virgin NOT virgin media
fair enough, my apologies
Next thing we know, european iphones will also have an activation process we'll be charged for. I bet they'll charge europeans for something we were never charged before.
So I switched to t-mobile, got web and walk and an 18 month contract with a chance to upgrade my handset in 6 months if I want.
Kicks ass.
This *could* indicate some hardware changes for the EU version, such as 3G.
There's also the fact that the UK mobile market is crazy on MMS messaging, IM messaging, and video recording. The three top features the phone doesn't support.
Either changes happen to the iPhone before UK launch, or they're going to have a hard time matching US sales.
oh well I wasn't going to buy it anyway
If Iphone can offer a decent contract or cheaper model then it may tempt me a little more.
If Iphone can offer a decent contract or cheaper model then it may tempt me a little more.
Many people where learing about iPhone now..but when they (& me too) saw HTC phone, we were really amazed. So it is just around Us $ 450 (Converted the rate). ( + no contracts or a pre defined operator!
Anyhow iPhone is cool too...
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