“One of Italy’s most respected newspapers, La Repubblica (like the WSJ with red sauce), is claiming in no uncertain terms that the 3G iPhone is coming shortly to Telecom Italia without a revenue sharing deal and without long-term exclusivity,” Thomas Ricker reports for Engadget.
“If true, this change in strategy opens the doors for a true, global, 3G iPhone launch on UMTS networks around the world come summer time,” Ricker reports.
“We contacted Telecom Italia who refuse to comment on the matter,” Ricker reports.
Full article, with link to Italin to English translation of the La Repubblica article, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “MIke in Helsinki” for the heads up.]
Mama mia!
An Italian who refuses to comment: stupido!
iPhone — as ZuneTang might say, it’s no big deal.
If you want a real hot product you need to look to Microsoft — Xbox 360 burns house down:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/21/arkansas_xbox_360_fire/
Non exclusivity??? Times are changing for good…
Apparently the price will be higher compared to elsewhere in Europe (to compensate for the non-exclusivity) and that TIM will be the sole iPhone source for at least a few months before the floodgates open.
I really hope Steve releases the iPhone in SE Asia (Singapore/Malaysia/etc) soon. I’m putting aside about US$600 for my “iPhone day”!
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Don Jobs made them an offer that they couldn’t refuse.
The ending of the old business model is good for consumers which we should all be pleased about
MacSheikh:
Are you nutz? (Rhetorical question.)
“Apparently the price will be higher compared to elsewhere in Europe (to compensate for the non-exclusivity…”
How would increased competition increase price? Where ever I have been and competition was limited, the consumer was forced to pay what ever the monopoly demanded. Where ever competition was encouraged prices were kept as low as possible to ensure patronage.
If ever the USA gets a non-exclusive telco then on that day I will buy an iPhone.
It’s such a shame that Steve Jobs couldn’t be more like The Woz in his views on technology. He’s another suit.
I hate to throw cold water on the flamefest guys, but in my experience, the AT&T;service works really well. I travel quite a bit, and it works almost everywhere. No, Edge is not as fast my T-1 back at the office, but it’s not that big of a deal…
I’m all for progress, but for now, it’s hard not to smile every time I use my iPhone.
@Dialtone
AT&T;doesn’t work well in my area, that’s the rub.
I think that poor iPhone sales in Europe is the reason for non-exclusive deals, bad sales has put carriers in a stronger position against Apple.
There is no demanding reason for carriers to get iPhone exclusivity if they can only attract a few users from other carriers.
Rene_LA wrote, “It’s such a shame that Steve Jobs couldn’t be more like The Woz …”
… and that, mon ami, is a very significant reason why Steve Jobs is leading Apple, Inc. and Woz plays Segway polo with the rest of the idle rich.
Have the time, I don’t think the Woz deals in reality.
Whoops!!! Meant “Half the time …
RobertJr wrote< “I think that poor iPhone sales in Europe is the reason for non-exclusive deals, bad sales has put carriers in a stronger position against Apple.”
Anticipation of the “new” iPhones is deterring many customers from buying current iPhones.
How would having more carriers selling more iPhone be a bad thing for Apple?
How is Apple’s position weakened by having more carriers seeking to sell more apple iPhones?
What a spicy meatballs.
“If ever the USA gets a non-exclusive telco then on that day I will buy an iPhone.”
—————————-
Then be sure to iCal June 2012. That is when Apple’s exclusive deal with AT&T;expires in the US.
“How is Apple’s position weakened by having more carriers seeking to sell more apple iPhones?”
—————————–
Because with multiple carriers in the same country, Apple will not be able to negotiate the same revenue sharing plans as they do with exclusive contracts..
@Rene_LA
If Steve Jobs were a “suit” then Apple wouldn’t be where it is today. He is more of a freakish hybrid of “suit” and “rebel”. He is both “the man” and rebel hero.
But sometimes I wish he was a bit more like Woz. Its a shame their paths of gone off in different directions. Woz should come back to Apple to take more of an active part in the company. Maybe in research and development?
This story claims a 3G iPhone announcement by Apple in May then a new device at WWDC
3G iPhone in May, new mobile device at WWDC 2008?
MikeK wrote. “Because with multiple carriers in the same country, Apple will not be able to negotiate the same revenue sharing plans as they do with exclusive contracts.”
Apple simply sells the device, not the service. The better the service, the more iPhone sales each carrier will make, the more profit the carrier will make. It seems that a specific carrier assumes the risk of losing revenue if they cannot compete effectively with the other national carriers. The risk is theirs, not Apple’s.
Apple is like automaker who sells identical cars to several auto rental services. The profit each rental company receives is determined from the satisfaction consumers receive from the rental service. The better companies will purchase iPhones at lower cost than their competitors and provide better service; however, Apple is not going to sell iPhones at a loss. The consumer will ultimately determine which carrier is profitable.
The fact iPhone “is coming to Telecom Italia without a revenue sharing deal and without long-term exclusivity” does NOT necessarily implies a “change in strategy”, it only means that the strategy may be different for that specific country.
Until we see similar deals in other countries we could say something.
@Dialtone
AT&T;has NO service in my area. Aye, here’s the rub: no service, no iPhone.