UK's O2 places orders for "hundreds of thousands" of iPhones

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
O2, the largest mobile carrier in the UK and exclusive provider of Apple's iPhone for the region, says it expects the touch-screen handset to become its fastest selling phone yet when it goes on sale this Friday at 6:00 p.m.



Speaking to the Financial Times, O2 chief executive Matthew Key estimated a "a couple of hundred thousand" iPhones would be sold in the first two months, adding that his firm along with its retail partner have ordered "hundreds of thousands" of units from Apple in preparation for the Nov. 9 launch.



Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Gartner, found Key's forecast to be on the conservative end, and instead believes between 350,000 and 400,000 iPhones could be sold in the UK by January. Part of that success will have to hinge on O2's retail partner in the region, Carphone Warehouse.



In a separate interview with the Telegraph, Key recalls openly admitting to Apple chief executive Steve Jobs that O2 would need to use Carphone Warehouse as a retail partner to maximise distribution if it were selected as the exclusive iPhone carrier for the UK.



Key's openness reportedly chimed with Apple, which later revealed to have already mystery-shopped all O2's stores in the UK -- something Jobs also did for himself before Apple formally announced its intention to use O2 as its exclusive provider for iPhone in the region.



"He's a hugely impressive guy, hugely impressive guy," Key said of Jobs. ''He clearly knows his stuff in a level of detail that for someone at that level is mindblowing, and he has a great incisiveness in terms of what the customer wants and needs in products."



The O2 chief said he knew immediately after his first two-hour meeting with Jobs that iPhone was a device he absolutely had to offer to his customners.



"In the UK market, where the top four networks have pretty much equal shares, it offers a great way for me to get a hell of a lot of high-value customers on to O2 and drive up data usage," he said.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    Well, even if the low end of this forecast comes to pass, I'd like to see what all our snotty/snooty "3G+GPS+5MP+MMS+3rdParty-or-bust" pals in the EU have to say!
  • Reply 2 of 48
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    [Yoda voice] Jobs is strong with the RDF force, he is [\\Yoda voice]
  • Reply 3 of 48
    According to MacUser.co.uk, O2 have also removed the "fair usage policy" for data !



    I'm in the UK with a 3G phone, and would switch off 3G if I knew how. I just don't need it, and with free access to The Cloud, I'm thinking 3G is even less important. Looking forward to Friday.



    What's with this "region" talk as well? Makes it sound more like a state of the EU. Whilst our politicians might be pushing for a United State of Europe, the people are protesting. The UK, whilst made up of four countries, is itself a country as well.
  • Reply 4 of 48
    I look forward to seeing how well it does.
  • Reply 5 of 48
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    What's with this "region" talk as well? Makes it sound more like a state of the EU. Whilst our politicians might be pushing for a United State of Europe, the people are protesting. The UK, whilst made up of four countries, is itself a country as well.



    Is the fourth country Northern Ireland? Is O2 releasing iPhone there as well?
  • Reply 6 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    What's with this "region" talk as well? Makes it sound more like a state of the EU. Whilst our politicians might be pushing for a United State of Europe, the people are protesting. The UK, whilst made up of four countries, is itself a country as well.



    Hear! Hear!



    While being a U.S. "mutt" myself, for a lack of a better term, my mother, God Rest her Soul, was UK born and bread. While a Greencard alien here in the USA, she took great pride of her natural birthplace (born in Nottingham and raised in Bedford), English Ancestry and the Queen!



    My only downside is that half my "family" is 3000 miles away and while a phone call, card or letter is nice, sadly, it still is not the same as being able to get in the car and 'drive' to grandmothers house or visit an aunt, uncle or cousin.



    Cheers to all who will be in line for O2's iPhone launch! Being iPhoneless myself (personal reasons), I do enjoy it's wonders when visiting my local Apple Store.
  • Reply 7 of 48
    Quote:

    ... when it goes on sale this Friday at 6:00 p.m.



    In fact, the signs in O2 stores says it goes on sale at 6:02 p.m. on Friday.

    Get it?
  • Reply 8 of 48
    hattighattig Posts: 860member
    Getting a bit sick of AppleInsider's Advertising Popups - Porn now ... lovely.
  • Reply 9 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Getting a bit sick of AppleInsider's Advertising Popups - Porn now ... lovely.



    There's nothing like porn to spice up our boring lives, eh?
  • Reply 10 of 48
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Getting a bit sick of AppleInsider's Advertising Popups - Porn now ... lovely.



    Pretty much, every browser has popup blocking.
  • Reply 11 of 48
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    I'm in the UK with a 3G phone, and would switch off 3G if I knew how. I just don't need it, and with free access to The Cloud, I'm thinking 3G is even less important.



    I don't know much about the Cloud but it sounds like a huge benefit we don't have here in the states with ATT. Free wi fi access is still difficult to find at times.
  • Reply 12 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Getting a bit sick of AppleInsider's Advertising Popups - Porn now ... lovely.





    You probably have some spyware on your computer that's causing that.

    Besides all the major web browsers support Pop-up Blocker. You can also install yahoo or google toolbars that have that function. Can't believe there are people out there still being plagued by Pop-ups.
  • Reply 13 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gitterati View Post


    In fact, the signs in O2 stores says it goes on sale at 6:02 p.m. on Friday.

    Get it?



    Cool. It could have been worse: 0202 hours....
  • Reply 14 of 48
    Can someone clear this up for me? Does O2 not have their own retail stores like the cellular companies in the US do? Is this why they're partnering with Carphone Warehouse? I'm assuming Carphone Warehouse has a huge presence there?



    For the first time, the iPhone is going to have to compete side-by-side in the same retail space not just against other phones from the same provider, but also against other networks altogether. That's going to be interesting to see.
  • Reply 15 of 48
    Yes, O2 do have their own retail stores, but in the UK Carphone Warehouse is widely regarded as the best place to buy a new mobile as they are very good at giving impartial advice. They are very big here, whereas private retail stores are not seen as often, and used even less so. Without the Carphone Warehouse, roll-out would be less.



    On another note, been told by someone who works at Carphone Warehouse that Apple have completely shafted O2 and Carphone Warehouse. All profits from the contract go straight to Apple, with O2 only making money if we go over the agreed plan. Carphone Warehouse would normally get £12 for every new contract, but with the iPhone, they're only getting £3. That's how desirable the iPhone is over here to companies.
  • Reply 16 of 48
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    O2 do have their own stores, but not as many stores as Carphone Warehouse do. Carphone warehouse sell phones and contracts for most of the networks, so this has the advantage for O2 and Apple of putting the iPhone alongside every other phone from all the other networks.
  • Reply 17 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Well, even if the low end of this forecast comes to pass, I'd like to see what all our snotty/snooty "3G+GPS+5MP+MMS+3rdParty-or-bust" pals in the EU have to say!



    Whether it sells 200,000 or a million, it still doesn't change the fact it's feature-lite, restricted and way, way, way overpriced.



    Incidentally, on Ars they were reporting that the iPod Touch was to get free WiFi access via The Cloud.



    Roll on February.
  • Reply 18 of 48
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hdasmith View Post


    What's with this "region" talk as well? Makes it sound more like a state of the EU. Whilst our politicians might be pushing for a United State of Europe, the people are protesting. The UK, whilst made up of four countries, is itself a country as well.





    I think you will find that those 4 countrys make up a Union hence the term United Kingdom which is not a "country"
  • Reply 19 of 48
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Pretty much, every browser has popup blocking.



    As well as ad blocking.



    Notable exception is that little iPhone. Really makes me hate AI when I am on the road!
  • Reply 20 of 48
    mrtotesmrtotes Posts: 760member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hattig View Post


    Getting a bit sick of AppleInsider's Advertising Popups - Porn now ... lovely.



    Safari menu > Block Pop-Up Windows



    Now that wasn;t so hard. I suspect AI has limited control over exactly which ads appear.
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