Apple UK to host special (iPhone?) event next week

[AppleInsider]

Apple is calling on the UK press for a special media presentation next week to be held at the company's flagship retail store in London, reports Macworld UK.

Digital invites to the event simply state that: "Mum is no longer the word", and ask media and analysts to show up at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday 18 September, for a press conference.

It's widely expected that Apple will use the gathering to reveal long-awaited plans to brings its sleek, touch-screen iPhone handset to select parts of Europe.

In speaking to Reuters, an Apple spokesman in Germany would say only that the company plans to announce which wireless carriers had clinched deals to offer the handset by the end of September.

Reports have suggested that the US-based consumer electronics giant has struck a UK deal with Spanish Telefonica's O2 UK unit, a German deal with Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile and a French deal with France Telecom's Orange.

In the unlikely event that Apple is not yet ready to reveal its European iPhone plans, Macworld UK believes that another scenario for the event could be the launch an extended television or film service in the UK.

"The company could also be ready to add Beatles to iTunes," the publication added, "although the general consensus is that these scenarios would involve either a world-wide announcement, or a different venue to the Apple store."

[RaZZo]

I'm in Portugal and I am considering fligh to the UK to buy one.

But, only if the headset has the same possibility of unlocking that the american version do

[TBaggins]

.

[monkeyastronaut]

i think it's about new ipods. the ones released last week are now obsolete.

[Phizz]

sweet.

[Ireland]

I hope this U.K. event is a European announcement, and not just a U.K. one.

[thetrew]

I think that the TV and Film offerings for iTunes in the UK is a poor excuse and maybe they were testing the water over here to see how much interest was generated. I reckon they'll be doing a deal with the BBC (affectionately known as 'Auntie' in the UK - so could be a play on words, perhaps...) and giving us Brits more download options. Especially now that all of the iPods, minus the shuffle, offer video support.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by thetrew

I think that the TV and Film offerings for iTunes in the UK is a poor excuse and maybe they were testing the water over here to see how much interest was generated. I reckon they'll be doing a deal with the BBC (affectionately known as 'Auntie' in the UK - so could be a play on words, perhaps...) and giving us Brits more download options. Especially now that all of the iPods, minus the shuffle, offer video support.

Yeah, I was wondering about the wordplay/puns on "mum."

Any speculations from our wordsmithing pals from across the pond?

[Tailpipe]

This event can only be about the EU launch of the iPhone. The new iPod range is aleady old news. Moreover, Apple knows that the whole of Europe is dying to get its hands on the iPhone. It needs it here now, before all the buzz fades.

I am expecting both an 8 and a 16 Gb iPhone model to debut here. There's no confirmed launch date, because it all hinges on the availability of flash memory modules and there's been a bit of a problem with availability. What is known is that the larger capacity 16 Gb chip wasn't ready before now. Now that it is being produced in volume, expect it to be added to US iPhone line-up very soon and well in-time for Christmas.

More important, I am expecting a 3G version of the iPhone for the EU to follow very quickly, certainly within 6 months of the 2.5G version being launched. Unlike the USA, I don't think Apple will achieve the same level of success in Europe without a 3G iPhone.

If the 3G version isn't ready now, and I don't think it is, I expect it to become available shortly after Christmas - it has to arrive sooner rather than later before competitors catch up. And believe me when I say that Nokia, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson and Motorola are all working on iPhone killers.

So, the most likely iPhone EU launch scenario is a 2.5G version that gves market exclusivity to O2, T-Mobil and Orange in UK, Germany and France for a limited time, say 3-months. Then an exclusive 3G launch across Europe with Vodafone in January 2008.

I suspect that both 2.5G and 3G iPhones will be sold in parallel. You heard it here first.

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by Ireland

I hope this U.K. event is a European announcement, and not just a U.K. one.

I'd bet just the U.K.. I thinking the iPhone and additional video content for the U.K. iTunes store.

[kresh]

Surely Apple would have to get "CE" approval before announcing the iPhone. What if it's not approved for use in Europe.

I would assume that approval, or pending approval, would have leaked to the press.

[Amorya]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

Yeah, I was wondering about the wordplay/puns on "mum."

Any speculations from our wordsmithing pals from across the pond?

I just read it as they're going to stop keeping ___ a secret, and announce it to the world. So plenty of speculation on what ___ actually is!

Alternatively, it could tie in with the iPhone, as if mum isn't the word then you're going to talk about something, and what better way to do that than on the phone.

But I may be missing an interpretation. Anyone else any ideas?

Amorya

[tinker]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

... Reports have suggested that the US-based consumer electronics giant has struck a UK deal with Spanish Telefonica's O2 UK unit, a German deal with Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile and a French deal with France Telecom's Orange.

Does anyone have an idea/opinion of how the operator selection for Scandinavia might play out?

We've got loads of carriers and are swamped with bandwidth/phones and general saturation in the mobile segment.
But but and yet more buts, the market is fragmented quite competitive relative small populations no real pervasive operators. For Denmark at least, it's not allowed to bind customers to a contract running more than 6 months.

My opinion concerning a deal between Apple and an operator might be either Telia Sonera or Telenor. Then again what do you guys think?

Oh, - and yes, I do think the event in London will be concerning iPhone.


=========================
p.s: I unlocked my iPhone last night

[danielchow]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

"The company could also be ready to add Beatles to iTunes," the publication added, "although the general consensus is that these scenarios would involve either a world-wide announcement, or a different venue to the Apple store."

i doubt apple will introduce the Beatles before they have the chance to introduce George Harrison.

i'm suspecting that they wish to introduce the former Beatles members as individual artists -- John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and then George Harrison. they're each great performers on their own. i think when George Harrison is introduce, the Beatles will follow. that's assuming that a deal to carry Beatles on iTunes actually happened.

[gugy]

my bet is iPhone in Europe and The Beatles.

[Patrik_L]

Originally Posted by tinker

Does anyone have an idea/opinion of how the operator selection for Scandinavia might play out?

We've got loads of carriers and are swamped with bandwidth/phones and general saturation in the mobile segment.
But but and yet more buts, the market is fragmented quite competitive relative small populations no real pervasive operators. For Denmark at least, it's not allowed to bind customers to a contract running more than 6 months.

My opinion concerning a deal between Apple and an operator might be either Telia Sonera or Telenor. Then again what do you guys think?

Oh, - and yes, I do think the event in London will be concerning iPhone.


=========================
p.s: I unlocked my iPhone last night

Well, if you search for iPhone on telenor.se, you'll get an amusing answer. And Telenor has started selling iPods and Macbooks in their stores. So I'm definatly going for Telenor as the operator, at least in Sweden.

[melgross]

I don't know about Tv and the Beatles, but if this is for the iPhone release, I have what may be a controversial opinion on that.

Of course, everyone who has been here for a while knows that I NEVER have controversial opinions. But, here it is.

With the announcement of the European iPhone coming so close to the drop in price for the one here (again, assuming that that's what will be announced), I believe that the price drop is directly involved.

If it is to be believed, the European carriers have been reluctant to agree to Apple's financial demands. If the high price of the phone would be a deterrent to sales there, the companies would have a good reason to demur. But, if the sales could be higher, they might not be so reluctant. Dropping the price by 33% could have been the icing on the cake that Apple offered during the negotiations. The possibility of pulling customers from other networks, as is happening here could be a good incentive, IF those numbers would be high enough, as could now be the case at the lowered price.

Even if Apple now adds 3G, and has a higher price, that price would still be lower than what such a phone would have commanded before the price drop.

We have seen the estimates about how the price drop increased sales over here. These companies can see this as well as we can, and this could have been the final push that closed the deals.

Of course, even if this announcement ISN'T about the iPhone, and that comes later, I still believe that the price drop may very well have been intended partly to finish the deals.

[Carniphage]

Just going by the title....

"Mum's the word" is an English saying, meaning "please stop talking ( about something)".
So ... "Mum is no longer the word" means "start talking"
To my simple-minded mind, that suggests iPhone more than it does Beatles or Movies.

If it is iPhone, I still am not sure how it will be sold in the UK. The UK market is a different world.

Let's play a quick hand of Cringely......

With only a handful of Apple stores in the UK, Apple will need retail and network partners. I am gonna bet on 3G handsets (with a camera on the front) and Carphone Warehouse having some sort of exclusive.

C.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

Yeah, I was wondering about the wordplay/puns on "mum."

Any speculations from our wordsmithing pals from across the pond?

There really isn't much to the OED that we don't know in common language. If the BBC is also called "auntie" (which really isn't a mum or mom, from my side of the pond) then I think we be reading too much into this.

I would love a 3G iPhone as I will in London on the 28th and will be waiting in line in the early morning just in case like a typicl fanboy zealot. I'll still use AT&T back in the states as I want Visual Voicemal, but 3 G would be great.

But I don't think that will happen despite Apple's apparent breakneck speed to release new phones and lower prices to gain a firm foundation in the cell market. Perhaps the reason for the price drop is because of a 3G 8 and/or 16GB version coming at the $599 (not doing £ conversion) next week to the EU. If so, I'll certainly be buying that one....or more if they aren't sold in the states.

Originally Posted by Tailpipe

I suspect that both 2.5G and 3G iPhones will be sold in parallel. You heard it here first.

8GB EDGE version for $200 less than the 16GB UMTS version. That sounds like a good plan.



I really want some insight into how this SIMunlock is affecting the carriers. They stand to lose a lot of revenue and if my calculations are correct, so is Apple as 24 months of dues is pure profit lost.

[drjjones]

European 3G 16 Gig iphone,, plus a few extras

[solipsism]

If I buy a 3G iPhone in the UK on the 18th will it work with 3G carrier AT&T or T-Mobile in the US? Id est, do the 3G bands differ across the pond?

[Lafe]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Digital invites to the event simply state that: "Mum is no longer the word", and ask media and analysts to show up at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday 18 September, for a press conference.

Have you heard? The word is "love"!

I think we all know the real meaning of this . . .

1) Beatles catalogue on iTunes,
2) Special Edition iPod Classic (Yellow) w/ Beatles Catalogue on it,
3) Special Edition MBP signed by Ringo,
4) Ultra-portable with Dual Japanese/English Keyboard,
5) iPhone for European Market,
6) iPhone for Eastern European Black Market,
7) Free Nano Phatty with any European iMac purchase,
8) Non-glossy Screen Option for new iMacs,
9) $100 credit for anyone who has bought anything lately from Apple,
10) Some minor American artist "flies across the pond" to perform for assembled journalists, and
11) A special relationship is announced with a European Coffee chain of some kind.

[CosmoNut]

Originally Posted by solipsism

If I buy a 3G iPhone in the UK on the 18th will it work with 3G carrier AT&T or T-Mobile in the US?

I find it very very VERY hard to believe that an American-based company would release a product that's available elsewhere in the world, but NOT in America...or at least without announcing when it will be available in America.

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by CosmoNut

I find it very very VERY hard to believe that an American-based company would release a product that's available elsewhere in the world, but NOT in America...or at least without announcing when it will be available in America.

Open your mind to the possibilities. Step back inside the RDF.

[gugy]

the iPhone 3G is coming very soon to an Apple store near you.
I bet prior to Xmas.

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by solipsism

If I buy a 3G iPhone in the UK on the 18th will it work with 3G carrier AT&T or T-Mobile in the US? Id est, do the 3G bands differ across the pond?

AT&T and T-mobile in the US aren't even compatible with each other, using different frequencies. Both are different to Europe. Unless the 3G iPhone supports all three frequencies you'll be out of luck.

[vinney57]

iPhone for UK. What else would it be?

I think melgross is right about the pricing issue (though it pains me greatly to say so).

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by drjjones

European 3G 16 Gig iphone,, plus a few extras

The extras being Skype for the iPhone maybe.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by vinney57

iPhone for UK. What else would it be?

I think melgross is right about the pricing issue (though it pains me greatly to say so).

Gee—thank's.

[aegisdesign]

Originally Posted by MacTel

The extras being Skype for the iPhone maybe.

I really hope not. Skype is evil. Giving Skype more fuel will just add to the non-standard mess it's creating. Skype should just f off.

If they're going to do VOIP then just a decent iChat based SIP client would do me so I can continue using Gizmo, SIPGate, Google or a trixbox setup.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by aegisdesign

AT&T and T-mobile in the US aren't even compatible with each other, using different frequencies. Both are different to Europe. Unless the 3G iPhone supports all three frequencies you'll be out of luck.

I guess what I'm asking are there 3G chips that will cover all N. American and EU frequencies. I think this would be in Apple's best interest.

[FLOOeY]

Check this out:

http://macenstein.com/default/archives/803

Sounds a bit strange, but possible ..

[cutemartin]

Just to be mischievous...

Mum's the word means to keep a secret.
To reveal a secret is to let the cat out of the bag...

2 + 2 = 5!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by FLOOeY

Check this out:

http://macenstein.com/default/archives/803

Sounds a bit strange, but possible ..

FYI: I have two pet-peeves when it comes to weblinks.
• People not using hyperlinks. But think isn't an issue on AI a vBulletin auto-formats links.
• Not bloody hell explaining what the link pertains to. How about quoting a paragraph or even a headline for Christ's sake?

[melgross]

How about this one.

"Spilling the beans" is also a good phrase. Here's an illustration of that from O2's CEO Peter Erskine:

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=42327

[TBaggins]

Originally Posted by Tailpipe

I suspect that both 2.5G and 3G iPhones will be sold in parallel. You heard it here first.

First? Not exactly. I've been thinking to myself for awhile now that it makes (common) sense that the only way Apple can get out from under their Euro predicament is to sell both 2.5G and 3G models at the same time, and at significantly differing price points.

If Apple releases only a 2.5G model for Europe and drags ass on bringing a Euro 3G model out? iPhone is a lot less successful over there... after the 'early adopt no matter what' fanatic sales peter out shortly after launch, sales prolly fall off a cliff in Europe 'til the 3G model comes out.

(even so, Apple may just say "It's only six months", and just wait to do 3G worldwide in coordination with the Asian iPhone launch in mid-08').

If Apple releases only a 3G model for Europe (with a US 3G model to follow shortly), at a very competitive price? GREAT for Europe, but howls of protest from America. All the US customers who rushed in to buy 2.5G iPhones after the price drop become a "second wave of suckers", and will be super-pissed at Apple, judging from recent events.

Only real way out seems to be to offer 2.5G iPhones at a really good price point, and while that model is still selling, also bring out 3G iPhones at a (quite a LOT) higher price point.

Europe gets what they want, and US 2.5G iPhone customers no longer have a legit complaint- as in, "Hey, you got your iPhone for 400 bucks... you INTENTIONALLY WAITED UNTIL THE PRICE DROP before you picked one up! So now you're crying that you really wanted the 600 buck 16 gig 3G model?!? Get real!".

Hoo boy. This is gonna get real interesting, real soon.

.

[gugy]

Originally Posted by TBaggins

Hoo boy. This is gonna get real interesting, real soon.

.

Well Apple can hold off a bit the release of 3G maybe until December or at MWSF and they can always say that AT&T finally improved their 3G network and blah, blah, blah and here is the iPhone 3G for the USA. The "second wave of suckers" like you said would not have too much leverage to complain.
Sure if Apple release 3G in the USA next week, then be prepared to hear all the whining all over again!

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by melgross

Gee—thank's.

You've hurt old man Mel's feelings!

[MarcUK]

Originally Posted by kresh

Surely Apple would have to get "CE" approval before announcing the iPhone. What if it's not approved for use in Europe.

I would assume that approval, or pending approval, would have leaked to the press.

CE approval is not like how it works in the US. You can self-certify your own products.

[solipsism]

Hve we forgottten that there was a ban on Qualcomm chip in hte US. Could have played into the severe price drop. Perhaps Apple plans to release 3G phones for N. American and EU at the same time after all... though I doubt it will be Tuesday.

BTW, There has been a partial unbanning of the Qualcomm 3G chips for some some companies in the US, this includes AT&T. The issue is far from resolved but this could mean 3G iPhons comng in vi AT&T channels.

Perhaps this is a good sign.