“Vodafone Group said on Thursday it was concerned the current iPhone mobile phone — Apple’s latest ‘killer’ gadget — does not operate on fast 3G networks,” Reuters reports.
This “amid speculation that Apple is close to handing a deal to Vodafone’s rivals to bring iPhones to Europe,” Reuters reports.
“‘It’s clearly a good, software-driven device, but we’re concerned about wideband area coverage so that 3G (third-generation) or HSDPA (upgraded 3G) connectivity with the iPhone is something that we look forward to,’ CEO Arun Sarin said,” Reuters reports. “‘Every product, every alterative, every choice here has a price and we just have to be conscious of what it is that we’re doing for our customers and our shareholders.'”
“Analysts expected Vodafone to be in prime position to secure an exclusive, pan-European deal to sell iPhones, which have flown off the shelves in the United States, but warned that Apple was a tough negotiator and liked to dictate terms,” Reuters reports.
Apple iPhones “combine Apple’s hugely popular iPod digital music player, a video player and Web browser into a sleek, touch-screen device,” Reuters reports. “Sarin said virtually every mobile company was having a conversation with Apple, but that he could not comment further.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dion” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Note: In early July, Richard Wray reported for The Guardian that Vodafone had balked at Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ iPhone revenue demands and had lost the iPhone exclusive contract to O2 in the UK. This after Credit Suisse in late June called Vodafone the frontrunner in Europe. Reports on iPhone carriers outside the U.S. are all over the map (literally). We’ll wait to see what Apple and their partner(s), whoever they may be, announce. That said, carriers would do themselves a service to see what is happening in the U.S. – we and many others dumped Verizon and other U.S carriers for iPhone and AT&T on day one. Many millions more (yes, millions) will follow. To the innovators go the spoils. Those listening to Steve Jobs’ terms need to remind themselves that some revenue is better than none. Right, Verizon?