Apple iPhone hitting Europe by December

Just in case you missed it yesterday, Apple did indeed confirm that it'll ship the iPhone to a few major countries by Q4 2007, which ends September 30th. Most signs point to the UK, France and Germany as being those lucky "majors," and Apple also mentioned it'll announce carriers (plural) in the coming months. The rest of Europe will have to wait until 2008, presumably as retribution for recent seasons of Eurovision.

Update: A re-read of the transcript seems to point at Q4 of the calendar year, not their fiscal year. In other words, December not September.

[Argot @ Jul 26th 2007 2:55PM]

Cool. So we can finally get this anachronism over here. It will be great to use my modern 3G phone to video film the losers buying this piece of crap! :)

[jonathan @ Jul 26th 2007 2:58PM]

What about Canada :(

Announce it already, Rogers

[Datacide @ Jul 26th 2007 3:38PM]

Exactly! From USA to the UK, France and Germany? How does that make any sense? Do the not like Canadians or something?

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 3:42PM]

Don't worry, it'll be coming to Canada.

[psxp @ Jul 26th 2007 3:54PM]

Your comments: Canada?? eh! we only JUST got the HTC TyTN here.. Canadians
also
*LOVE* RIM - people here love the Blackberry... eh

[i luv nose candy @ Jul 26th 2007 8:53PM]

Not going to happen for a very very long time...
The answer for Canadians is here:
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2087/125/

[L.Rawlins @ Jul 26th 2007 3:03PM]

I don't know anyone who cares about this phone, nor who will be signing their life away for one.

*Shrugs*

It's just not very good I'm afraid. We're used to more. Much more.

[P @ Jul 26th 2007 8:27PM]

get off your high horse dipshit... i have an iphone.. it's amazing... it has a REAL browser... youtube... and all sorts of other goodies...

what do you have that's so much better?

people that probably have never even seen an iphone giving opinions about it pisses me off..

[L.Rawlins @ Jul 27th 2007 3:35AM]

I have a K800i. It's 3G, it has Stereo Bluetooth, a 3.2 Mpx camera with Xenon flash, 4GB of expanded memory, (it only supported 1GB at launch) and Opera Mini 4 which is also a 'real browser'. It plays games, apps, and my podcasts, and the battery life is impressive.

I bought it six monthes ago... for 150 quid sim-free. The iPhone yet to launch here costs more, does less, and is only available on contract.

It's a no-brainer.

[michas_pi @ Jul 27th 2007 5:36PM]

I'm sorry, but the Opera Mini browser sucks ass.

If you said Opera Mobile then you'd have something worthwhile.

[MrXavia @ Aug 28th 2007 10:45AM]

I agree with you, the IPhone is over-hyped, we get pda phones free in the uk when on contract, so why would we pay for one and get locked to a network?

Especially when PDA phone can play movies, music, install software and they usually can browse the internet pretty well! Oh and the plus of being able to unlock from your network for £30 after your contract is up..

I cant wait to see ofcoms reaction to a phone that can never be unlocked from a network....

[JohnTitor @ Jul 26th 2007 3:06PM]

hey look, Engadget got all of Europe
now if only they could zoom out of the UK on their Zune Europe anouncements

[Anthony Navarro @ Jul 26th 2007 3:11PM]

Did anyone confirm that these overseas markets will have 3G wireless instead of our feeble EDGE-based network here in the states?

The two killer-apps I would like to see that would make me fork over for my iPhone are (1) 3G-network access and (2) Bluetooth-modem capability, so my phone will allow my laptop to get internet access from wherever I have a cell signal.

I use this function on my Treo 650 and it's awesome, except for the speed.

-Anthony
http://mybilliardsparlor.com

[Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:35PM]

3G is useless.
It has basically no coverage

[Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:35PM]

3G is useless.
It has basically no coverage

[Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:36PM]

3G is useless.
It has basically no coverage

[Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:38PM]

Sorry about that, engadget's comments are screwed up.

[Argot @ Jul 26th 2007 4:00PM]

@Miles: Are you stupid or just lying? 3G has VERY good coverage over here in Europe.

The iPhone is a joke over here and you know it.

[Anthony Navarro @ Jul 26th 2007 4:21PM]

Like any cellular service, there will obviously be hotspots and coldspots... I'm in Charlotte, NC and we have a good swath of coverage in all the areas I do business from Mooresville to Concord, so Miles, if you're not 3G yet, just be patient and we'll catch up with the rest of the world sooner or later :-)

Argot: In what way is Europeans (IYHO) saying the iPhone is a joke? I know it's criticized for it's limitations such as Corporate email support and but it's not so much a matter of limitation as much as purpose: who was this phone built for and what will they be doing with it?

Just curious :-)

By the way, my manager got his iPhone on day 1 and loves it... He's been a Mac-Head since OS 7.5 and I've been on board since OS X so I have an appreciation for Mac's progress on both sides of the fence.

--Anthony
http://mybilliardsparlor.com

[Gwydion @ Jul 26th 2007 5:37PM]

Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:36PM

Perhaps in USA is useless, in Europe we have very high coverage of 3G

[Vanillacide @ Jul 27th 2007 5:11AM]

3G (UMTS) and it's slow speed -- albeit lightning quick compared to EDGE and GPRS.

3.5G (HSDPA) at 3.6Mb/s is what powers my wireless networking all over UK, some European implementations have got 7.2Mb/s and UK is later this year, with 14.4Mb/s following.

3.5G iPhone is what's required in Europe.

Miles, the world doesn't end with USA mate; and your mobile phone system is old skool.

[Chris @ Jul 26th 2007 3:12PM]

The data on the Mig is inaccurate...

Apple stated in their conference call that they'll have a European release by December:
"We are on track to begin selling the iPhone in Europe during the fourth calendar quarter of this year, starting with a few major countries and expanding the number of countries throughout 2008. We will announce our initial plans with our European partners later this quarter."

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 3:26PM]

I was just about to post this, but Chris beat me -- he said calendar quarter, not fiscal quarter (so Q4 = October-November-December)

[Kenban @ Jul 26th 2007 4:25PM]

When Apple says 4th quarter they mean fiscal quarters. For Apple the Year starts on October 1st and ends on September 30th. Engadget is correct and this does mean the iPhone should be released in Europe by the end of September.

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 4:34PM]

@Kenban: but Apple specified CALENDAR quarters, not FISCAL quarters. All this guarantees is a release before December 31.

[Chris @ Jul 26th 2007 5:17PM]

Actually, as I look over the transcript again, Messrs Cook and Oppenhimer State on multiple occasions that AAPL will introduce next fiscal quarter:

Timothy Cook
"As Peter mentioned earlier, our next step is to begin selling the iPhone in Europe next quarter starting with a few major countries and then expand over the whole of 2008. We hope to, as a result of this and other things, we hope to grow our sales step by step, year by year and model my model, just like we have done in the prior product lines."

Peter Oppenheimer:
"We plan to go into a few major countries in Europe next quarter; to move across other countries in Europe across 2008 and to
enter Asia in 2008 as well."

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 5:22PM]

@Chris: Which comments came first? Besides, the "fourth calendar quarter" quote is the only one that truly specifies what type of quarter they're referring to.

Also, if you search Google News, it appears most articles say before the end of December.

[Chris @ Jul 26th 2007 5:53PM]

You can read the transcript on http://seekingalpha.com/article/42374 (for free). I'm waiting for Apple to post the podcast to listen to the audio. Apple's original statement by Peter Oppenheimer was:
"We hope to sell our one millionth iPhone by the end of its first full quarter ending September 29th. We are on track to begin selling the iPhone in Europe during the fourth calendar quarter of this year, starting with a few major countries and expanding the number of countries throughout 2008. We will announce our initial plans with our European partners later this quarter."

It was later in the Q&A session when the other 2 statements were:
Timothy Cook (page 4)
"As Peter mentioned earlier, our next step is to begin selling the iPhone in Europe next quarter starting with a few major countries and then expand over the whole of 2008. We hope to, as a result of this and other things, we hope to grow our sales step by step, year by year and model my model, just like we have done in the prior product lines."
Peter Oppenheimer (page 12):
"We plan to go into a few major countries in Europe next quarter; to move across other countries in Europe across 2008 and to
enter Asia in 2008 as well."

There is definitely a need for clarification, because "4th Calender quarter"= December, whereas "4th Fiscal Quarter" = September......

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 6:26PM]

As I say, I believe that it still is calendar quarter. His original statement said so, and the fact he doesn't repeat it later doesn't mean anything. It is already implied that here he talks about calendar quarters.

And as I said, the prevailing opinion on Google News is calendar Q4 (with many quoting the exact "fourth calendar quarter" statement)

Someone really needs to correct this article

[Miles @ Jul 26th 2007 3:34PM]

I guess europe is finally getting some good phones now.

[hajanen @ Jul 26th 2007 3:34PM]

Q4 ends Sept. 30? I thought a year has 4 Q's... Doesn't Q3 end on Sept 30 and Q4 end on Dec 31?

[Rayburn @ Jul 26th 2007 3:37PM]

Apple's fiscal Q4 ends September 30, but Apple announced that it would be released in the calendar Q4, not the fiscal Q4

[Paul Chan @ Jul 26th 2007 7:28PM]

yeah i think engdaget got a bif confused, remember reading before that apple said iphone out in UK in time for christmas. end of calendar Q4.

[Xian @ Jul 26th 2007 3:35PM]

i thought Q4 2007 starts oktober and ends december....?

[Ireland @ Jul 26th 2007 7:32PM]

You mean the calendar quarter, not the fiscal quarter.

I would like to mention for the record; (as I'm a qualified European) this story is inaccurate. I'm 99.99% sure Apple said on the conference call the iPhone will hit select countries in the fourth 'calendar' quarter. Which as this poster correctly states; "begins in October". I'll be glad to admit if I'm wrong on this one, but I don't think I am. So If indeed I am correct, it will be in some European countries in October 2007 at the earliest.

[jeremy @ Jul 26th 2007 3:37PM]

I want the iPhone in Luxembourg! I just can't wait until 2008. We are one of the smallest countries but as you can see in the news, we are leader in cellular market penetration. But I am hopeful, actually we also have our own iTunes Store, so come on Apple, dont forget us !
What I can report so far is, that I know many people here in Luxemburg that are really excited about the iPhone.
Yes, we have the Nokia N95, we have UMTS and HSDPA, an WLAN as well, but most people just want a phone that is simple to use and looks nice.

[Barry @ Jul 26th 2007 3:37PM]

I can't imagine the Netherlands, Scandinavia or other West European countries not being in the few "major" countries.

[jeremy @ Jul 26th 2007 3:47PM]

Yes that's true, and not to forget Italy!
But it was the same thing for the iTunes Store, F, G, and UK came first.

[AdvWar @ Jul 26th 2007 5:22PM]

Generally, the UK, Germany and France are considered the three major countries in Europe, with most others forgotten about.

[Chris @ Jul 26th 2007 3:38PM]

Digg it.

http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_hitting_Eurpoe_by_September

[Ignacio @ Jul 26th 2007 3:45PM]

Hey Apple, how about LA? No, not Los ANgeles, the *other* LA.

:/

[fahnboi @ Jul 26th 2007 3:59PM]

louisiana? los alamos? landscape architecture?

[Ignacio @ Jul 26th 2007 4:05PM]

@fahnboi: Funny. Wait, wrong word ;-)

[fahnboi @ Jul 26th 2007 4:24PM]

shangri la?

[J. Chung @ Jul 26th 2007 4:27PM]

Lanthanum?

(I'm about to get killed)

[Ignacio @ Jul 26th 2007 4:38PM]

The sad thing is that I can picture people at Apple having the same discussion... ;)

[Ignacio @ Jul 26th 2007 4:40PM]

The sad thing is that I can picture people at Apple having the same discussion... ;)

[Ignacio @ Jul 26th 2007 4:41PM]

Hmm, comments seem broken today on Engadget - sorry for the double post.

[Icheb @ Jul 26th 2007 4:48PM]

The comment system isn't broken, it's just you being a total moron.

[AdvWar @ Jul 26th 2007 5:25PM]

Latin America?