Vodafone sews up iPhone distribution
Ten-country deal feeds Apple's world-domination plan
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Vodafone has signed a deal with Apple to distribute the iPhone in ten of its operating countries - several of which are still 2G-only, which should help clear stocks once the 3G version is launched.
Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will all be able to experience the joy of multi-touch and manufacturer lock-in thanks to the deal, though prices and delivery dates haven't been set.
It is something of a surprise to see Vodafone doing a deal with Apple, given the way in which iPhone uses exactly the kind of billing relationship Vodafone's CEO claims is inviolate. But it seems likely the world's largest operator is more interested in attaching itself to the Apple brand, and will be hoping that few people actually buy the handsets.
Being able to offload 2G handsets into secondary markets will be very useful for Apple if they do launch a 3G version of the iPhone as generally expected. Still, some of those Vodafone territories will be wanting to get their hands on the 3G version like everyone else. ®
COMMENTS
@Simon Harvey & @Stephen
Stephen, agree completely. In tech uptake we're right up there. Hey, about 1 in 1000 people have an iPhone here and it hasn't been released yet :-) And in mobile network technology we're way out there with lots of competition and some of the leading technology deployments in the world - building a mobile network to bring HSDPA & HSUPA to 99% of a population as sparsely populated as Australia is an incredible achievement that I don't think very many people comprehend.
Simon, I think we're both. We're extremely tech-savvy but as a market (ie a region into which you can SELL product), we must consider ourselves secondary. There just aren't enough of us to drive manufacturers & suppliers to change direction (or base their decisions on what we want) - except in very specific circumstances.
I don't think it's an insult or anything, just a recognition that we're not a huge population. But a tech-savvy one, for sure.
Forgotten much
Forgotten much about 2004 and the ghost phone numbers in a country called Greece !
It would appear some choices are lethal to some !
@Graham Lockley
>The most popular brand in the UK is actually made in Holland (though advertised
> with the usual folksy Italian accent etc.)
Italians make their own ragu; it is a skill that 99% of them have.
Only the Brits and the Americans are able to eat canned, ketchup based ragu, wherever is made.
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