Will the iPhone be given away free in the UK?
Maybe! or at least be sold at a greatly reduced price as compared to the US.
I have a feeling it might be, Subsidised handsets are the usual model for selling mobile phone contracts in the UK, there is no real reason whatsoever to assume that just because Apple have have sold the iPhone in the US that they will follow the same model in the UK.
In the UK all mobiles phones have to be unlocked if customers request it, I cannot see how Apple can get around this law. If the iPhone were to be sold as per the US and does have the ability to be unlocked (probably for a fee - this is allowed) then what does the network get out of this? The networks would have no hold on the customer at all. But by subsidising the purchase price of the iPhone and making customers pay back the cost as part of the contract then the networks can indeed ensure that they keep the customer locked in for the contract duration.
In fact i am not even sure how legal the iPhones current model would be in the EU (I am amazed it is allowed in the US!) It is the same as paying full price for a brand new BMW but being forced fill it with Shell petrol only for its first two years. I just cannot see any network successfully taking anyone to court who refused to pay their contract unless the iPhone was subsidised.
I have a feeling it might be, Subsidised handsets are the usual model for selling mobile phone contracts in the UK, there is no real reason whatsoever to assume that just because Apple have have sold the iPhone in the US that they will follow the same model in the UK.
In the UK all mobiles phones have to be unlocked if customers request it, I cannot see how Apple can get around this law. If the iPhone were to be sold as per the US and does have the ability to be unlocked (probably for a fee - this is allowed) then what does the network get out of this? The networks would have no hold on the customer at all. But by subsidising the purchase price of the iPhone and making customers pay back the cost as part of the contract then the networks can indeed ensure that they keep the customer locked in for the contract duration.
In fact i am not even sure how legal the iPhones current model would be in the EU (I am amazed it is allowed in the US!) It is the same as paying full price for a brand new BMW but being forced fill it with Shell petrol only for its first two years. I just cannot see any network successfully taking anyone to court who refused to pay their contract unless the iPhone was subsidised.
Comments
Financial Times article this week: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/17aa89d0-5...0779fd2ac.html
The iPhone in Europe will be locked to specific providers in each country
It will not be subsidized but will cost full price.
Dream on.
Financial Times article this week: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/17aa89d0-5...0779fd2ac.html
The iPhone in Europe will be locked to specific providers in each country
It will not be subsidized but will cost full price.
This rumour has already been proven to be false, Orange has come out and said no deal has been struck.
My whole point is based on the law, Apple are not above the law so therefore they cannot sell a phone in the UK that cannot be unlocked.
Plus, that price is significantly less than some other high end phones.
Maybe! or at least be sold at a greatly reduced price as compared to the US.
Apparently, you are not very familiar with Apple.
Apparently, you are not very familiar with Apple.
I agree with you there. Apple is selling the iPhones as "iPODS with a phone function" not a "phone with a music function" -- that puts in a completely different category.
The iPhones are indeed subsidized in the US to the tune of 400 dollars over the period of the two year contract, making the true cost of the iPhone 999.00 or 1099.00 here in the States.
I expect the iPhone to sell for a higher cost in Europe than the 499/599 we are paying here in the US, similar to the way Adobe prices their products overseas. Precedent is set and is being followed by just about all software and hardware manufacturers.
Compare Apple products -- the top of the line Macbook Pro sells for 2500.00 in the US. It sells for 3950.00 in London.
I think Europe is going to need to brace itself for the way Apple does business. It's not in the happiness business. It's in the "envied product" business.
By the way, yes, they can unlock phones in Europe. My French Orange-based Blackberry would have cost me a 1065.00 Euro FEE TO UNLOCK. You have to provide phones that can be unlocked, you don't have to do it for a reasonable price.
I agree with you there. Apple is selling the iPhones as "iPODS with a phone function" not a "phone with a music function" -- that puts in a completely different category.
The iPhones are indeed subsidized in the US to the tune of 400 dollars over the period of the two year contract, making the true cost of the iPhone 999.00 or 1099.00 here in the States.
I expect the iPhone to sell for a higher cost in Europe than the 499/599 we are paying here in the US, similar to the way Adobe prices their products overseas. Precedent is set and is being followed by just about all software and hardware manufacturers.
Compare Apple products -- the top of the line Macbook Pro sells for 2500.00 in the US. It sells for 3950.00 in London.
I think Europe is going to need to brace itself for the way Apple does business. It's not in the happiness business. It's in the "envied product" business.
By the way, yes, they can unlock phones in Europe. My French Orange-based Blackberry would have cost me a 1065.00 Euro FEE TO UNLOCK. You have to provide phones that can be unlocked, you don't have to do it for a reasonable price.
Your last line is my point exactly, your balckberry was being subsidised by Orange, that makes it much more difficult to get out of your contract and unlock your phone.
The high end MBP in the US = $2799 US Dollars
The high end MBP in the UK = $3,062 US Dollars (based on 2:1 XR and excluding VAT).
That is the better comparison, and much of the difference can be explained by the weak US dollar and the moment. Apple do not change there prices daily in line with exchange rates, so when the Dollar was around the 1.7:1 mark things were much closer.
Is better to research first before quoting any old figures.
Besides, you are being a complete tool!! You say that the iPhone will not be subsidised becasue that aint how Apple do things and then you say that the iPhone is subsidised in the US ?????????????????????????????????? Come again!