Apple dumps operator exclusivity deal
With both Telecom Italia and Vodafone now having the ability to market the iPhone in Italy, other European operators must be studying their iPhone distribution contracts given the understanding that they had a two-year exclusivity period.
This move by Apple followed the company agreeing to a 10-country distribution deal with Vodafone that will cover Italy, Australia, New Zealand, India, The Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Portugal, South Africa and Turkey.
"This is definitely a sign Apple is capitulating," Will Draper, an analyst at Execution, said. "The initial model was that Apple would give the iPhone to a network on an exclusive basis, but in Europe, where you have the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson selling sophisticated 3G devices, the iPhone simply isn't seen as such a premium product."
"Apple is realising that it should be making the iPhone as widespread as possible-- Vodafone having taken the view in Italy that it is not willing to share revenues for what will likely be a mediocre product," said Draper.
A comment from RBC Capital Markets' Mike Abramsky, who attended a meeting with Apple's senior management, has suggested that the company is looking to ship 14 million iPhones this year, helped by the 3G version that is expected to be announced within weeks.
For more on this story:
-read The Times and Apple Insider
Related stories:
China Mobile: Still no formal iPhone talks. China Mobile story
iPhone boosts T-Mobile data traffic by 30%. T-Mobile story
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By Anonymous | Posted 9:08am | May 8, 2008
the iPhone is easily MORE sophisticated than anything Nokia offers currently and that is just a fact. 3G is a chipset and a driver, and that issue is closed. however, what is Nokia's answer going to be to the iPhone rock solid unix OS, advanced touch screen, accelerometers, 3D capabilities, ground breaking usability, SDK libraries and programing language? the apple/iPhone is so more advanced than anything anyone else is offering. not even Android is looking like it has the staying power to keep up. it is missing the HW innovation that apple has spared no expense getting right. remember a successful phone is not just a shiny toy, it is an entire HW/SW architecture bundle and you cant have one without the other. Apple has both HW/SW in SPADES. Developers are lining up to write apps for the iPhone platform cause apple has given them access to almost the entire phone thru the SDK. the avg. dev can do SO MUCH with all the iPhones capabilities it makes my mind tingle. as an active member of the dev community i can say with no hesitation, the next 12 months the iPhone hits top gear... we are going to see amazing apps from all corners of the internet and the dev community will float the iPhone development from hear on out. it is simply that sweet of a platform to build apps for. as for Nokia being more advanced, throwing a food processor and a sink into a room does not a gourmet kitchen make... NEXT!