Apple still negotiating terms for third-gen iPhone with carriers

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
With just weeks to go before Apple is expected to take the wraps off its new family of touchscreen handsets, the iPhone maker remains engaged in talks with carriers vying to join its expansive fleet of authorized wireless providers.



Word of the ongoing discussions was leaked Tuesday evening via a Twitter blast from Telecom New Zealand, which responded to one of its customer inquiries about the upcoming iPhone launch by saying: "We are in negotiations with Apple... we are very focused on the 3rd gen iPhone.. we will keep u updated."



Though there were some initial doubts about the legitimacy of the Twitter feed, a subsequently article in New Zealand's National Business Review added further confirmation of the matter when it cited Telecom NZ's chief of retail Alan Gourdie as saying the carrier was in ?discussions - deep discussions - with Apple?.



The talks are the latest signs that Apple is looking to expand its footprint internationally with its upcoming iPhone refresh by growing the number of carriers that offer the device in some countries.



The Cupertino-based company has already partnered with dozens of carriers in nearly 80 countries, but made comments recently to suggest that offering customers more than one choice of carrier has delivered benefits through increased competition.



New Zealand is one example, like the United States, that doesn't yet fit this mold. The iPhone is offered solely by Vodafone. But in Australia, three carriers do battle for subscribers. This has proven beneficial for customers because it pressures providers into offering more affordable service contracts and boosting the quality of their wireless networks.



In addition to broadening its reach in existing countries, Apple also plans grow geographically this year by extending iPhone availability to even more countries, members of the company's management recently told analysts for Oppenheimer during a meeting at its corporate headquarters.



That's just one approach the iPhone maker plans to take in order to grow its share of the smartphone market this year. Others, according to management, include providing more functionality, lowering prices, or segmenting the market with different models.



When it comes to segmentation of models, however, management was firm in stating that the "iPhone will remain a software centric device," meaning customers shouldn't expect the company to differentiate its smartphone offerings with hardware features but rather software capabilities.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 37
    prismprism Posts: 75member
    Still hoping for The Netherlands and Vodafone (my current provider).

    Really don't want to switch to T-Mobile here.

    Maybe my chances are getting better now...
  • Reply 2 of 37
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    I had the original iPhone and currently use the 3G, I can't wait for the new iPhone, as to network I have been happy so far with O2 in the UK so don't really care if others get it or not, we get a much better deal than the Americans.
  • Reply 3 of 37
    stashmanstashman Posts: 90member
    A twitter blast sounds like something from my ass. I don't think you can believe anything from TelecomNZ who very bizarrely a have a picture of Richard Hammond on their twitter page. Also they would be pretty dumb comment on going negotiations, particularly via twitter.
  • Reply 4 of 37
    mukeimukei Posts: 14member
    Still only 1 provider in Japan (softbank).

    Would be nice to see the 2 others have it.
  • Reply 5 of 37
    cozagadacozagada Posts: 19member
    Competition has not worked in France... The 2 new carriers are selling the iphone at the same price point as Orange
  • Reply 6 of 37
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Unfortunately for those of us in the US, the only viable competition for AT&T is CDMA-based. I don't think any of the other GSM carriers have the geographic coverage or the infrastructure.



    On a side-note, I wish Apple would make a non-smart phone. Something that would seamlessly sync with the address book and calendar on my computer. I can do that now with my Verizon phone via Bluetooth, but it's a bit of a hassle and not entirely reliable. Apple seems to do pretty good with making data syncs painless. Make a nice little flip-phone and an iSync plugin and we are all set. Maybe even add in some iPod shuffle-like functionality for some music.
  • Reply 7 of 37
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cozagada View Post


    Competition has not worked in France... The 2 new carriers are selling the iphone at the same price point as Orange



    At least you have a choice of carrier.



    But yes, there is no true competition in the phone industry.
  • Reply 8 of 37
    al_bundyal_bundy Posts: 1,525member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    Unfortunately for those of us in the US, the only viable competition for AT&T is CDMA-based. I don't think any of the other GSM carriers have the geographic coverage or the infrastructure.



    On a side-note, I wish Apple would make a non-smart phone. Something that would seamlessly sync with the address book and calendar on my computer. I can do that now with my Verizon phone via Bluetooth, but it's a bit of a hassle and not entirely reliable. Apple seems to do pretty good with making data syncs painless. Make a nice little flip-phone and an iSync plugin and we are all set. Maybe even add in some iPod shuffle-like functionality for some music.



    by the end of this year or sometime next year it will be so cheap to build an iphone 3g level phone, that every new cell sold will be a smart phone capable of running 3rd party software
  • Reply 9 of 37
    Definitely agree with the previous post about other carriers in Japan. I believe AU is on a different 3G network but I hope Docomo finally gets the iphone. Softbank customer service is horrible and their treatment of foreigners is even worst.
  • Reply 10 of 37
    ted13ted13 Posts: 65member
    MTel in Bulgaria please! And Bulgarian language support in the iPhone 3.0 software.
  • Reply 11 of 37
    sipadansipadan Posts: 107member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OriginalMacRat View Post


    At least you have a choice of carrier.



    But yes, there is no true competition in the phone industry.



    While it's fair to say that, it's more than probable that the various French carriers actually "aligned" prices (which ofc is illegal). That is NO choice in my book other than the carrier name.
  • Reply 12 of 37
    cmf2cmf2 Posts: 1,427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cozagada View Post


    Competition has not worked in France... The 2 new carriers are selling the iphone at the same price point as Orange



    But are their voice and data plans identical as well? The purchase price is just a fraction of the total cost of ownership. The more carriers with the iphone the better as it enables you to shop around for the best voice and data package for you, or select the carrier with the best signal or customer service in your area. Competition isn't really expected to lower the purchase price of the phone, as I would imagine that Apple has a lot of say in that matter.
  • Reply 13 of 37
    imgmkrimgmkr Posts: 16member
    We've been waiting long enough for iPhone.

    I know Steve wants us to have them but because of collusive efforts among of

    Korean mobile manufactures and network providers to hold the bubbly profitable

    positions.



    Recently lots of freedom is violated by the MB government against citizens but

    people aren't doing enough to prevent the loss of democracy. Right to use whatever phone

    i like to use is not happening here. We gotta make it happen!!!





    I'm waiting till June 8th and 22nd to find out the truth.
  • Reply 14 of 37
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by imgmkr View Post


    We've been waiting long enough for iPhone.

    I know Steve wants us to have them but because of collusive efforts among of

    Korean mobile manufactures and network providers to hold the bubbly profitable

    positions.



    Recently lots of freedom is violated by the MB government against citizens but

    people aren't doing enough to prevent the loss of democracy. Right to use whatever phone

    i like to use is not happening here. We gotta make it happen!!!





    I'm waiting till June 8th and 22nd to find out the truth.



    Isn't S. Korea largely CDMA? Isn't that the issue?
  • Reply 15 of 37
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by al_bundy View Post


    by the end of this year or sometime next year it will be so cheap to build an iphone 3g level phone, that every new cell sold will be a smart phone capable of running 3rd party software



    I disagree. By that logic there would be no iPod shuffle, nano, or classic; and Apple would only sell the iPod touch. And even if it were technically feasible to make a smart phone for dirt cheap, size is a consideration. Most of the time I only want a small phone to put in my pocket. I don't want to carry around anything bigger. How about a flip phone with the nano's screen and nano-like iPod capabilities for music/video? That would be about the size of my current phone.
  • Reply 16 of 37
    jake_11jake_11 Posts: 35member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    Unfortunately for those of us in the US, the only viable competition for AT&T is CDMA-based. I don't think any of the other GSM carriers have the geographic coverage or the infrastructure.



    I know a lot of people consider T-Mobile to be too small here, but I had switched to them for a time after getting tired of the AT&T/Cingular fiasco. I had great experience with coverage. I traveled all across the country and had better coverage than I had with AT&T. I think the reason being AT&T locks you onto their towers only. T-Mobile lets you roam freely on whatever local tower you can pick up. No roaming fees, so why should it concern me. Another positive of removing the excusive deal with AT&T would allow users to use another local GSM provider if AT&T was lacking coverage in their area. It would be great to a multiple platforms available so it worked on CDMA networks, but that would be costly. Allowing users to choose from existing GSM networks would be a great, cheap way to capture more market and provide customers what they really want. A choice of providers.
  • Reply 17 of 37
    gregalexandergregalexander Posts: 1,400member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    Unfortunately for those of us in the US, the only viable competition for AT&T is CDMA-based. I don't think any of the other GSM carriers have the geographic coverage or the infrastructure.



    Until this year, NZ was in the same boat (actually, a smaller boat). Vodafone was UMTS and offered the iPhone. TelecomNZ was CDMA based. Now that TelecomNZ is well down the path of migrating to the same UMTS WCDMA network they can offer the iPhone.



    Competition is good. NZ iPhones are VERY expensive, while Vodafone Australia (same company) is much cheaper.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    On a side-note, I wish Apple would make a non-smart phone. Something that would seamlessly sync with the address book and calendar on my computer. I can do that now with my Verizon phone via Bluetooth, but it's a bit of a hassle and not entirely reliable. Apple seems to do pretty good with making data syncs painless. Make a nice little flip-phone and an iSync plugin and we are all set. Maybe even add in some iPod shuffle-like functionality for some music.



    It would be good. It could even be like the iPod Nano with a phone built in.



    Also, an "iPad" (larger iPod Touch) could use this non-smart phone to connect to the internet, perhaps? I don't want to pay for 2 separate subscriptions for iPad and Phone....
  • Reply 18 of 37
    dreyfus2dreyfus2 Posts: 1,072member
    Instead of continuing lengthy negotiations... In most countries (with at least three supported GSM/UMTS carriers) it would be sufficient to release a retail version of the phone (unlocked) at a certain price, then establish bulk rebates and give carriers a software tool to lock/unlock the devices as they are pleased (where this is allowed at all). Let them figure out the prices, rate plans and subsidies. I can go to any electronic retailer here and buy almost every model on the market, just the iPhone needs to be different.
  • Reply 19 of 37
    cbw87cbw87 Posts: 36member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cmf2 View Post


    But are their voice and data plans identical as well? The purchase price is just a fraction of the total cost of ownership. The more carriers with the iphone the better as it enables you to shop around for the best voice and data package for you, or select the carrier with the best signal or customer service in your area. Competition isn't really expected to lower the purchase price of the phone, as I would imagine that Apple has a lot of say in that matter.



    I'd just like to point out that signal and coverage is nowhere near as big an issue in other iPhone territories than in the USA. E.g. the UK is so small, coverage is basically a non-issue when choosing a carrier unless you're in the middle of nowhere. I sympathise with US users who have this problem; this is why Europeans for the most part can't understand US folks' carrier loyalty.



    So price is the big differentiator here.
  • Reply 20 of 37
    cmf2cmf2 Posts: 1,427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cbw87 View Post


    I'd just like to point out that signal and coverage is nowhere near as big an issue in other iPhone territories than in the USA. E.g. the UK is so small, coverage is basically a non-issue when choosing a carrier unless you're in the middle of nowhere. I sympathise with US users who have this problem; this is why Europeans for the most part can't understand US folks' carrier loyalty.



    So price is the big differentiator here.



    Well I'm in Canada, but it has similar problems to the US, although it isn't even possible to have more than one provider for the iphone. Everyone else is CDMA
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