No teckstud, the French are waiting for iPhone version 2 with 3G. Just like millions of other potential buyers.
Oh, and I would like a link to these "amazing cellphones in Europe that we've never even seen". They must be quite something if Europe is "yawning" over the iPhone.
(1) American military is a big user of spectrum space.
(2) Americans use different frequencies because Americans started using those spectrum FIRST.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Apple not only has an exclusive contract in the US, but also in Germany, Great Britain and Italy. In France Orange sells an open iphone for ?999 as opposed to the locked down iphone for ?399...
In Germany for a short time it was ?999, but in France the go for ?699 unlocked.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Europe went with GSM because they did not want to cave to Qualcom and pay, so GSM was born.
Europe went with GSM because they did not want to cave to Qualcom and pay, so GSM was born.
Europe wanted one standard mobile technology from the beginning. This still does nothing to explain why in the US AT&T/T-Mobile use GSM while Verizon/Sprint use CDMA. All four are incompatible in one way or another.
edit: From what I've read Europe started working on GSM in 1982. Qualcomm was founded in 1985.
A feature list isn't very informative. The implantation and real world usefulness of those features would be more valuable.
The fact that few people use very much 3G data speaks volumes about real world usefulness of data software and services offered on most mobile phones.
How do you define usage? As in browsing the web, checking email, video calls or just simply having it on the phone. I have co-workers (many from the US) that use their phones to get email or to check train schedules daily. Ask them if they were using HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, 3G, etc.... they would have no idea. They are simply users and couldn't care less about the "what am I using to connect" aspect. For me, I know what I am using. I use the functionality of my devices and I disagree. A feature list generally helps to decide on what device to purchase. You statement implies that people just walk in a phone store and say: "Give me a phone, any phone. Features don't matter".
How do you define usage? As in browsing the web, checking email, video calls or just simply having it on the phone.
I would consider data usage any service or software that uses the data and not voice radio and rates. Right now reports show that real world usage of data is fairly low on most all phones.
Quote:
A feature list generally helps to decide on what device to purchase. You statement implies that people just walk in a phone store and say: "Give me a phone, any phone. Features don't matter".
Yeah I think a lot of people buy simple basic phones and don't care about features. I think most other people buy phones because of its looks and cool factor. I think of the total mobile market few people actual do research into features.
There have been studies that prove a long feature list isn't necessarily good. Ease of use becomes compromised as the list grows longer. If the features are difficult, frustrating, or cumbersome to use few people will use them. If few people use the feature what is the value of having it on the phone.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
1. To differentiate themselves with different services and features.
2. To keep customers from taking their phones and going to another provider.
3. To kill the chance of an unlocked phone market from developing.
4. To force customer to use their crappy, crippled versions of good phones. (Often the features touted on the European and Japanese phones are disabled or crippled on the American phones.)
5. To force customers to use their own on-line services and stores.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Verizon Wireless is the most profitable wireless carrier in the US. So all the other carriers are wrong with their technology choices.
Secondly, Apple has created the world's most crippled cell phone for the supposedly "open" GSM world.
I can understand why Apple restrained the iPhone to AT&T in the US. But why do the same thing world wide?! They should have provided unlocked iPhones world wide for higher price. Unless they come up with something really good by Jun 08 they might be facing problems selling 10 mil by Macworld 09.
Don't get me wrong, I signed up for 2 years contract with AT&T for my iPhone. However, I am irritated that Apple and AT&T did not clarify what will happen after the 2 years contract expire! Are they going to unlock my iPhone for me? Or maybe they are counting on me buying whatever new model they will release by then and sign up for another 2 years contract?! Upgrade/Exchange program after 2 years?!
I can understand why Apple restrained the iPhone to AT&T in the US. But why do the same thing world wide?! They should have provided unlocked iPhones world wide for higher price. Unless they come up with something really good by Jun 08 they might be facing problems selling 10 mil by Macworld 09.
Don't get me wrong, I signed up for 2 years contract with AT&T for my iPhone. However, I am irritated that Apple and AT&T did not clarify what will happen after the 2 years contract expire! Are they going to unlock my iPhone for me? Or maybe they are counting on me buying whatever new model they will release by then and sign up for another 2 years contract?! Upgrade/Exchange program after 2 years?!
Good point Nasser. I called AT&T ans asked what will happen. I got 2 different answers, one being they will unlock the phone and the other being that the phone will have to stay locked and that I can get a new AT&T contract and transfer it to my phone.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
Good point Nasser. I called AT&T ans asked what will happen. I got 2 different answers, one being they will unlock the phone and the other being that the phone will have to stay locked and that I can get a new AT&T contract and transfer it to my phone.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
Senior AT&T Wireless executives have stated in major American newspapers that they will unlock the iphones after your contract is done. This is not some lowly paid 25 year old kid who worked for the AT&T PR department (who doesn't know anything) getting interviewed by some gadget geek website.
O2 UK has consistently said that your iphone has to remain with O2 after the contract in order for it to work. Germany's T-Mobile only promised to give out unlocking codes after the contract is finished --- when they were facing the judge in the Vodafone injunction hearing --- and their German price plan is really really expensive. The French people gets a really high price for the unlocked iphone and their monthly plan is really really expensive as well.
I don't see how Americans are getting screwed at all. AT&T voluntarily promised the unlocking code --- without facing some lawsuit in court. Americans enjoyed a much lowered hardware price for the iphone (compared to the Europeans) and enjoyed much better monthly price plans than the Europeans.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
T-Mobile is the only other option for an unlocked iPhone. Their isn't very much choice. Which was my whole point about them using different technology.
T-Mobile is the only other option for an unlocked iPhone. Their isn't very much choice. Which was my whole point about them using different technology.
So what?
If you look at the French mobile market, there are only 3 national carriers --- with the top 2 French carriers owning 85% of the market.
This article, like the other "where are all the iphones" articles which seem to appear every other day on AI is another load of horseshit.
The fact is that Apple released figures that were based on number of iPhones shipped, and not number of iPhones sold. This is a tactic more often used in the music industry, where albums frequently "ship platinum", which means, in the states, that a million copies are sent out to stores and NOT that a million people bought the album. It's a nice way to boost public opinion of a product, especially with a new piece of tech like iPhone, where many people are waiting to see if it's a successful product before they buy.
The above article is AI's way of trying to dissipate any negative opinion of Apple, but it is a load of horseshit. 400000 people in China have NOT bought unlocked iPhones.
Senior AT&T Wireless executives have stated in major American newspapers that they will unlock the iphones after your contract is done. This is not some lowly paid 25 year old kid who worked for the AT&T PR department (who doesn't know anything) getting interviewed by some gadget geek website.
O2 UK has consistently said that your iphone has to remain with O2 after the contract in order for it to work. Germany's T-Mobile only promised to give out unlocking codes after the contract is finished --- when they were facing the judge in the Vodafone injunction hearing --- and their German price plan is really really expensive. The French people gets a really high price for the unlocked iphone and their monthly plan is really really expensive as well.
I don't see how Americans are getting screwed at all. AT&T voluntarily promised the unlocking code --- without facing some lawsuit in court. Americans enjoyed a much lowered hardware price for the iphone (compared to the Europeans) and enjoyed much better monthly price plans than the Europeans.
You have some good points but also some of info was incorrect. Europeans enjoy low prices as well if they are willing to purchase a subsidized phone with a 2 year contract. These are not the crap that is sitting back in the inventory but state of the art, high speed, low drag, just released models. There is also the option to purchase the phone without the contract at retail prices, and ALL unlocked. You are a bit incorrect about the monthly plans. I will keep it local as I can only speak for my current location, Finland. My monthly connection costs are about $6, with my unlimited data plan costing approximately $14. I upped it to $29 with a guarantee of 1 meg. In normal conditions I get 7.2 meg/sec but in some areas where there is not as great a coverage, I am still allocated my 1 meg.
Maybe Apple should have become and MVNO and sold their own brand of wireless services.
I can not be sure but I think these new tariffs with the iPhone only came about as a result of the iPhones release. Personally I am glad that the Finnish operators turned Apple down, and would not consider the iPhone unless it has 3G.
This article, like the other "where are all the iphones" articles which seem to appear every other day on AI is another load of horseshit.
The fact is that Apple released figures that were based on number of iPhones shipped, and not number of iPhones sold. This is a tactic more often used in the music industry, where albums frequently "ship platinum", which means, in the states, that a million copies are sent out to stores and NOT that a million people bought the album. It's a nice way to boost public opinion of a product, especially with a new piece of tech like iPhone, where many people are waiting to see if it's a successful product before they buy.
The above article is AI's way of trying to dissipate any negative opinion of Apple, but it is a load of horseshit. 400000 people in China have NOT bought unlocked iPhones.
Comments
No teckstud, the French are waiting for iPhone version 2 with 3G. Just like millions of other potential buyers.
Oh, and I would like a link to these "amazing cellphones in Europe that we've never even seen". They must be quite something if Europe is "yawning" over the iPhone.
www.nokia.co.uk
Start with the E90, N81, N82, N95
Just these alone should keep you busy.
And do a feature to feature check against the iPhone.
(1) American military is a big user of spectrum space.
(2) Americans use different frequencies because Americans started using those spectrum FIRST.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Apple not only has an exclusive contract in the US, but also in Germany, Great Britain and Italy. In France Orange sells an open iphone for ?999 as opposed to the locked down iphone for ?399...
In Germany for a short time it was ?999, but in France the go for ?699 unlocked.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Europe went with GSM because they did not want to cave to Qualcom and pay, so GSM was born.
And do a feature to feature check against the iPhone.
A feature list isn't very informative. The implantation and real world usefulness of those features would be more valuable.
The fact that few people use very much 3G data speaks volumes about real world usefulness of data software and services offered on most mobile phones.
Europe went with GSM because they did not want to cave to Qualcom and pay, so GSM was born.
Europe wanted one standard mobile technology from the beginning. This still does nothing to explain why in the US AT&T/T-Mobile use GSM while Verizon/Sprint use CDMA. All four are incompatible in one way or another.
edit: From what I've read Europe started working on GSM in 1982. Qualcomm was founded in 1985.
A feature list isn't very informative. The implantation and real world usefulness of those features would be more valuable.
The fact that few people use very much 3G data speaks volumes about real world usefulness of data software and services offered on most mobile phones.
How do you define usage? As in browsing the web, checking email, video calls or just simply having it on the phone. I have co-workers (many from the US) that use their phones to get email or to check train schedules daily. Ask them if they were using HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, 3G, etc.... they would have no idea. They are simply users and couldn't care less about the "what am I using to connect" aspect. For me, I know what I am using. I use the functionality of my devices and I disagree. A feature list generally helps to decide on what device to purchase. You statement implies that people just walk in a phone store and say: "Give me a phone, any phone. Features don't matter".
How do you define usage? As in browsing the web, checking email, video calls or just simply having it on the phone.
I would consider data usage any service or software that uses the data and not voice radio and rates. Right now reports show that real world usage of data is fairly low on most all phones.
A feature list generally helps to decide on what device to purchase. You statement implies that people just walk in a phone store and say: "Give me a phone, any phone. Features don't matter".
Yeah I think a lot of people buy simple basic phones and don't care about features. I think most other people buy phones because of its looks and cool factor. I think of the total mobile market few people actual do research into features.
There have been studies that prove a long feature list isn't necessarily good. Ease of use becomes compromised as the list grows longer. If the features are difficult, frustrating, or cumbersome to use few people will use them. If few people use the feature what is the value of having it on the phone.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
1. To differentiate themselves with different services and features.
2. To keep customers from taking their phones and going to another provider.
3. To kill the chance of an unlocked phone market from developing.
4. To force customer to use their crappy, crippled versions of good phones. (Often the features touted on the European and Japanese phones are disabled or crippled on the American phones.)
5. To force customers to use their own on-line services and stores.
Your points are also true. But don't explain why AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint all use different technology and different frequencies. They could all use the same technology and same frequency.
Verizon Wireless is the most profitable wireless carrier in the US. So all the other carriers are wrong with their technology choices.
Secondly, Apple has created the world's most crippled cell phone for the supposedly "open" GSM world.
Don't get me wrong, I signed up for 2 years contract with AT&T for my iPhone. However, I am irritated that Apple and AT&T did not clarify what will happen after the 2 years contract expire! Are they going to unlock my iPhone for me? Or maybe they are counting on me buying whatever new model they will release by then and sign up for another 2 years contract?! Upgrade/Exchange program after 2 years?!
Apple should forget about having contract with China Mobile.
Just sell unlocked iPhone for $900 (that's how much it is selling there anyway) with native Chinese apps. It will make a killing from that.
Actually I was just quoted CNY 4200 yesterday. That's about USD 590 at current exchange rates.
I can understand why Apple restrained the iPhone to AT&T in the US. But why do the same thing world wide?! They should have provided unlocked iPhones world wide for higher price. Unless they come up with something really good by Jun 08 they might be facing problems selling 10 mil by Macworld 09.
Don't get me wrong, I signed up for 2 years contract with AT&T for my iPhone. However, I am irritated that Apple and AT&T did not clarify what will happen after the 2 years contract expire! Are they going to unlock my iPhone for me? Or maybe they are counting on me buying whatever new model they will release by then and sign up for another 2 years contract?! Upgrade/Exchange program after 2 years?!
Good point Nasser. I called AT&T ans asked what will happen. I got 2 different answers, one being they will unlock the phone and the other being that the phone will have to stay locked and that I can get a new AT&T contract and transfer it to my phone.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
Good point Nasser. I called AT&T ans asked what will happen. I got 2 different answers, one being they will unlock the phone and the other being that the phone will have to stay locked and that I can get a new AT&T contract and transfer it to my phone.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
Senior AT&T Wireless executives have stated in major American newspapers that they will unlock the iphones after your contract is done. This is not some lowly paid 25 year old kid who worked for the AT&T PR department (who doesn't know anything) getting interviewed by some gadget geek website.
http://iphone.macworld.com/2007/08/a...y_unlock_1.php
O2 UK has consistently said that your iphone has to remain with O2 after the contract in order for it to work. Germany's T-Mobile only promised to give out unlocking codes after the contract is finished --- when they were facing the judge in the Vodafone injunction hearing --- and their German price plan is really really expensive. The French people gets a really high price for the unlocked iphone and their monthly plan is really really expensive as well.
I don't see how Americans are getting screwed at all. AT&T voluntarily promised the unlocking code --- without facing some lawsuit in court. Americans enjoyed a much lowered hardware price for the iphone (compared to the Europeans) and enjoyed much better monthly price plans than the Europeans.
In short, you guys in the States are getting screwed and not in the good way.
T-Mobile is the only other option for an unlocked iPhone. Their isn't very much choice. Which was my whole point about them using different technology.
T-Mobile is the only other option for an unlocked iPhone. Their isn't very much choice. Which was my whole point about them using different technology.
So what?
If you look at the French mobile market, there are only 3 national carriers --- with the top 2 French carriers owning 85% of the market.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._Europe#France
The fact is that Apple released figures that were based on number of iPhones shipped, and not number of iPhones sold. This is a tactic more often used in the music industry, where albums frequently "ship platinum", which means, in the states, that a million copies are sent out to stores and NOT that a million people bought the album. It's a nice way to boost public opinion of a product, especially with a new piece of tech like iPhone, where many people are waiting to see if it's a successful product before they buy.
The above article is AI's way of trying to dissipate any negative opinion of Apple, but it is a load of horseshit. 400000 people in China have NOT bought unlocked iPhones.
Senior AT&T Wireless executives have stated in major American newspapers that they will unlock the iphones after your contract is done. This is not some lowly paid 25 year old kid who worked for the AT&T PR department (who doesn't know anything) getting interviewed by some gadget geek website.
http://iphone.macworld.com/2007/08/a...y_unlock_1.php
O2 UK has consistently said that your iphone has to remain with O2 after the contract in order for it to work. Germany's T-Mobile only promised to give out unlocking codes after the contract is finished --- when they were facing the judge in the Vodafone injunction hearing --- and their German price plan is really really expensive. The French people gets a really high price for the unlocked iphone and their monthly plan is really really expensive as well.
I don't see how Americans are getting screwed at all. AT&T voluntarily promised the unlocking code --- without facing some lawsuit in court. Americans enjoyed a much lowered hardware price for the iphone (compared to the Europeans) and enjoyed much better monthly price plans than the Europeans.
You have some good points but also some of info was incorrect. Europeans enjoy low prices as well if they are willing to purchase a subsidized phone with a 2 year contract. These are not the crap that is sitting back in the inventory but state of the art, high speed, low drag, just released models. There is also the option to purchase the phone without the contract at retail prices, and ALL unlocked. You are a bit incorrect about the monthly plans. I will keep it local as I can only speak for my current location, Finland. My monthly connection costs are about $6, with my unlimited data plan costing approximately $14. I upped it to $29 with a guarantee of 1 meg. In normal conditions I get 7.2 meg/sec but in some areas where there is not as great a coverage, I am still allocated my 1 meg.
Maybe Apple should have become and MVNO and sold their own brand of wireless services.
I can not be sure but I think these new tariffs with the iPhone only came about as a result of the iPhones release. Personally I am glad that the Finnish operators turned Apple down, and would not consider the iPhone unless it has 3G.
This article, like the other "where are all the iphones" articles which seem to appear every other day on AI is another load of horseshit.
The fact is that Apple released figures that were based on number of iPhones shipped, and not number of iPhones sold. This is a tactic more often used in the music industry, where albums frequently "ship platinum", which means, in the states, that a million copies are sent out to stores and NOT that a million people bought the album. It's a nice way to boost public opinion of a product, especially with a new piece of tech like iPhone, where many people are waiting to see if it's a successful product before they buy.
The above article is AI's way of trying to dissipate any negative opinion of Apple, but it is a load of horseshit. 400000 people in China have NOT bought unlocked iPhones.
Nice!!!!!!
Count me as one.