Where the hell is the 3G iPhone for Europe? We might know.
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 5th 2007 5:30PM
posted Sep 5th 2007 5:30PM
The only thing more slippery than an iPhoneSIMFree release date has to be the magically, mystical 3G iPhone rumored for Europe. At least with the latter, Apple has been kind enough to drop a few dreggy hints. Add 'em all up and Apple Expo -- kicking off September 25th -- seems to be the prime time for Apple to announce a new flagship 16GB, 3G iPhone. Don't believe it? Check this: - Berlin's IFA show is over with nay a peep from Apple or from the major European carriers about a European iPhone, even though the deals seem pretty well sewn-up.
- Apple's current top-o-the-line 8GB iPhone just received a remarkable $200 drop in price. That opens the door for another iPhone priced at what's been proven to be a consumer-acceptable, $599 price point.
- That $200 easily buys Apple a total of 16GB of NAND flash (about $70 for the extra 8GB) like that found in their new iPod touch as well as a tri-band HSDPA radio with plenty of profit left over.
- Apple told us during the Q3 fiscal call that more information about the European iPhone would be made available at the end of their current -- big product transition -- fiscal quarter which ends September 30th.
- Apple Expo has seen the launch of the redesigned iMac G5 and other Apple products in the past.
Read -- 9to5Mac rumor from 17 August
w3rd, but I guess I want my OWN 3g iphone... not read about the european's and theirs? :-\ that's the last thing holding me back from purchasing an iphone.
A $200 price break makes it very tempting, but lack of 3G as well as lack of stereo bluetooth is what is holding me back. Stereo bluetooth wouldn't be as high on my list, but I have it now....once you have it, it's hard to go back. I guess we'll have to just hope for these in a Gen2 *US Version* iPhone.
I agree 100%.. 3G (plus some sort of chat client) and I'm SOLD.
Oh yeah? Well us europeans want to get our hands on our OWN iPhone, and not read about Americans and theirs.
It looks like a toss-up between getting an iPod touch now and for 'cheap' £200), or waiting a month and /maybe/ getting an iPhone for a fair chunk more (SIM-free = price hike, contract = no thanks).
@EdZ
iPod touch seems to be shipping on the 28th of Sept. I'm going to wait. I don't see the harm in it.
nah dude... I mean you europeans get yours, I'm all for that... but why would an american company give more features to their european model that a lot of us AMERICAN'S want to get their hands on. It just doesn't make sense to me. I want 3g, punta final.
while i agree that there'll be a $599 iphone soon again, i don't think it'll be 3G AND 16gb. knowing apple, i think the future iphone line up will be:
1) 8gb EDGE iphone @ $399
2) 16gb EDGE iphone @ $499
3) 8gb 3G (i doubt that it'll be HSDPA) iphone @ $599
actually, having given it more thought (for like 10 secs), extra $200 bucks just for 3G does seem ridiculous. ok the $599 iphone will iether be a 16gb 3G one or an 8gb 3.5G. still not *really* worth it, but it seems plausible.
There is no way that they would come out with a 3G model and still sell EDGE models. Has any phone ever doen that? Its not like it is that much different for them to allow the phone to use 3G. I think apple preys on the people that need to be first to have the new technology. They waited 10 weeks to drop the price, now everyone that didnt buy them in the first 10 weeks will pick one up and then on the 25th they'll release the 3g models so all these techophiliacs (myself included) will upgrade and sell their EDGE iphone on ebay to all the patient people that dont care if they are first or not.
Hmm, would the 3G 16gb iPhone be europe only?
only until it gets unlocked
After todays ridiculous price drop I can only think that they will be replacing ALL iphones with 3G models at the end of the year. You simply dont give a $200 price drop after just a couple of months unless you are trying to liquidate your stock.
Better not be Europe only. I'm sick of Europeans getting better phones first.
Europeans getting all the goo phones first? They still don't have the iPhone, nor the full selection of T-Mobile phones (like the sidekick), although T-Mobile is Deutsche Telekom. At least you can console yourself with the fact that here in New Zealand we are one of the last to get anything.
And yes, the 3G iPhone will most likely be released worldwide - makes more economic sense (with economies of scale and all that). Also, that way Apple pockets all the profit, instead of those unlocking 3G iPhones and selling them to everyone else.
'This month, iphone software update' slide would point to this being not just for Europe. Hopefully they'll keep first gen iphone owners happy with new updates.
Also, please bring it to Canada!!
Europeans are sick of Americans getting stuff like Xbox 360's PS3's and games first. Touche.
Hmm... 16GB 3G Euro iPhone + iPhoneSIMFree = TMobile device to make everyone drool?
T-Mobile's forthcoming 3G is incompatible with European and AT&T 3G.
So, no.
To point something out, your math is a little flawed...
You basically said that an extra $200 buys Apple a 16gb chip and a 3G radio... But you also kind of need to subtract the cost of an 8gb chip. Point being, it gives Apple room for more profit.
But yeah. If Apple came out with a 3G iPhone with 16gb in the US I would be on it like no other.
@synthaxx and Alex,
You're right, I've corrected. Thanks.
Thomas
Actually you'd be talking about only an additional 8Gb which according to the NAND Exchange would go for as little as $16 ($29.73 for 16Gb)
(see http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20070828PR204.html for the full report).
That's 30 bucks for 16Gb (ie 2GB). Times 8 will give you 240 bucks for 16GB of flash. Why o why did they not put a hard drive in the iPod touch :(
Official: I am idiot, thanks for correcting me ;)
Can I come please? lol
It's funny, I haven't spoken to one person who thinks the iPhone will make it over here. Too expensive, and the UK/EU mobile phone market offers alot more different quality phones which more than likely all go for less than the iPhone will, I somehow think the iPhone might not be as well recieved over here.
Tell that to everyone who has unlocked the present iPhone so that they can use it on their European service....
I'm danish, and I would buy one, if I didn't already have an N95. Besides I think germans would go for it too. My impression is that they love hyped tech gear.
yeah, even when Apple said late 07?
I'd buy one in an instant, even if it does come with the standard Apple Euro price-gouge.
3G better be hidden inside my iphone....
T-Mobile USA 3G is in the FDD4 frequency band of WCDMA. AT&T uses FDD2 and FDD5.
I'd be more excited about this (being from Ireland) but I expect that the iPhone here will be more expensive than in America.
Im just going by the fact that everything apple here is more expensive.For example on the Irish Apple store the iPod classic 80gb is listed at 249 EURO.Thats the equivalent of 340 dollars or thereabouts.The 160gb model is 349 euro.Thats 476 US Dollars.
Absolutely unacceptable.
yeah, i hate the cost of living here in the UK everything is twice as expensive as it is in America, shame. I also agree with DaveC, the Iphone is going into mercy waters when it comes to the European mobile phone market.
Yeah but what's your salary like in a year? If you make something similar to someone in the states doing the same job only in EURO, then it all evens out. Not to mention is an American based company (albeit producing products in places like Taiwan... but who isn't?), wouldn't it be expected that having to ship something across the pond would raise your price? Don't get me wrong... I'm not justifying an extra $100 per item, but there are a number of factors that don't make it SO unacceptable.
I'm hoping by some miracle that it will be possible to open this 16GB 3G version up to the states... I still have to stick with AT&T, but it's still better than the version available today.
Check out the pics of the iPhone w/ the new iTunes WiFi store...the icon is on the far right. Likely total coincidence, but what if this was another gap in the Springboard like the iPod Touch announcement? What if there is room for more apps like iChat, etc?
I would agree 100%. I am a UI designer myself (who would love to work for Apple someday Steve Jobs if you're reading this gimme a ring), and there is no logic to putting that all the way on the right, especially when all the initial iPhone shots before they added YouTube had the bottom 3 icons left justified. I agree that iChat could be coming, but what are the others? a few more widgets?
By the same logic, it was obvious they would add apps from day 1 just by the homepage design... again as a UI designer, it would make no sense to leave a blank row if that was all you planned on putting in there. And a company that prides itself on usability and such, they wouldn't just up and make a mistake like that.
WiFi iTunes has been in the works for a long time... they said they'd been working with Starbucks for 2 YEARS on this idea... kinda makes you wonder what they're coming up with now that will be released in 2 years...
However, if they left off YouTube while making everything look final (left justified), why wouldn't they go to the effort of making this look left justified too? It's a simple photoshop job... unless they consider it part of the bottom menu items in which case they are adding it in the right place in my opinion.
sorry about my language, i start to believe that you apple fanboys like getting scr****d in the ass. slap your face with a $100/month early adaptor tax and you beg for more...
I live in Spain, and after today's events I'm seriously considering buying the 16GB ipod touch. I'm desperate to use the multitouch magic, and i quite honestly cant wait for it to come out here! Plus the prices will be sky high, the ipods actually cost about 130$ more over here. I think I'll wait until this conference, see if they announce a decent date for it to come out in Spain and if they don't, ill just go for the touch.
You can't deny this : it's about bloody time we fellow europeans deserve an iPhone!
Lack of 3G and GPS are what keep me from buying the iPhone. If it had those two features I would buy it instantly.
Imagine Google Map directions with live GPS on your iPhone. Mount that in your car and now you have a GPS navigation unit, mp3 player, and phone all in one. One can only wish.
Oh yeah, the GPS would be killer and the 3G would be an added bonus. Though I couldn't wait and ended up getting the iPhone. But, if they do release an updated iPhone with 16GB along with GPS and 3G then I will definitely hop on board. I think it would be bad ass if you could mount this in your car and get turn-by-turn automatically with GPS.
Erm, that already exists! Its called the N95 - It has GPS, google maps and mp3/video functionality, indeed mine has 4gb storage already, and an 8gb card is coming out in Oct.
Yes, but the N95 is $750. I doubt adding GPS and 3G to the iPhone would make it $750. Probably back to the $600 pricepoint.
3g and more memory is nice and all but the only real thing keeping me from going out and buying one today is that is has no exchange push support. With my Cingular 8125 that has gone from neat new feature to absolute must have in a phone.
Also, i'm pretty sure i read its law that any phone sold locked to a network in the UK *HAS* to be unlockable, with a minimal charge to cover the hassle of it (in reality, that minimal charge is always about £30/$61)
Great law! In Belgium we have a different variant of that law. Apple will NOT be allowed to be selling an iPhone fixed to one carier/operator only. They just can't !! That is either great for us OR there won't be a phone.
wth?
@ The iPhone Unlock - 3g isnt expensive in Europe - Im on unlimited 3.5g tariff with Tmobile for just £7.50 a month.;)
Seriously, i just bought an iPhone from USA.. they now drop the price with 200 USD, whenever it comes out in europa it probably still has a lock but then for those providers who will sell them. Then all those people who bought their iPhone are like.. WTF? i paid 600 USD for a phone which is replaced by the same fucking brand in 6 months, for the same price i paid for it? HELLO? The iPhone is really a great phone, but i think those who bought it probably too early feel kinda fucked.. seriously i paid 750 EUROS for my 8GB iPhone.. now i see this 4GB iPhone for 220 EUR (300 USD) at the apple shop.. haha.. i just bought a phone for my girlfriend.. a nokia 6300 for 280 EUR, thats like 'a cheap' phone in Holland.. if you compare it to the HTC models, BlackBerry's, HP iPaq's, and phones like N95, N73, U700/600, G600.. it's cheap. EVEN A FUCKING IPHONE WITH 4GB IS CHEAPER THAN A NOKIA 6300!!! im going insane.. are you guys in USA all poor or something (no offense) you're not but why these prices are so low anyway.. like 599 USD for an iPhone in first place, is only 420 EUR.. it's not cheap, but also absolutly not expensive.....
/me crazy
Calm down you angry dutchman !
sorry man... It's just crazy but it shows how great apple is at making money and evolving fast... I dont care btw about the 16gb or 3G... 3g is too expensive in europe...
9,95 Vodafone 50mb limit, t-mobile 20 no limit. Thats it.. Tmobile gprs for 10 euro is fine..
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Don't you know to never buy a first gen Apple product? They usually have the kinks worked out by the 2nd or 3rd generation.
the problem is that apple won't sell the iPhone for 293.317651 euros which would be the right price, they will sell it for 399 euros (542.7597 dollar). If you compare the prices of most apple products from the us to those from europe, they always sell them for too much money, but we're kinda used to this so it's not that bad...
but our friend from the netherlands is right, in the us the iPhone seems kinda cheap...
the problem is that apple won't sell the iPhone for 293.317651 euros which would be the right price, they will sell it for 399 euros (542.7597 dollar). If you compare the prices of most apple products from the us to those from europe, they always sell them for too much money, but we're kinda used to this so it's not that bad...
but our friend from the netherlands is right, in the us the iPhone seems kinda cheap...
They should also fix camera, cos even mid-end SE K550i that I own can do much better pictures.
To all the early adopting whiners, you knew what you were in for. The price will drop, and the product will improve. On the other hand, you get urs first. Thats the cost of being an early adopter, and if you didn't think of that then you're a retard
My guess? 16 GB iPhone for europe for like seven euros, plus they'll tickle your balls in the back room.
JUST TO MAKE EXTRA SURE THEY DICK OVER EVERYONE WHO HAD BOUGHT ONE PREVIOUSLY.
Just like earlier today.
Hey! What about the ladies?
3G europe is 2100mhz. Which is incompatible with ATT 850/1900mhz UMTS/HSPDA.
Makes a lot of sense. I was wondering today why a 16GB iPod Touch was launched but no 16GB iPhone. It would suck to not have a $399 3G iPhone, but from Apple's POV and Steve's statements about filling a lot more stockings, I can see a 3G version coming in Paris.
But, but what about us Canadians?
Though according to Steve today... WIFI is much faster than 3G you know, especially when your not at a Starbucks to hit an access point. That's terrible spin
Iphone user interface is superb compared to MS based phones. Mobile smartphone 5.0 must have been developed mostly on a regular computer w/ all of the GUI features fixed. It takes many key presses to enable bluetooth, check the time of a particular call, etc.
ATT 3G is not worth the battery consumption. Edge is slower, but your battery will last much longer. I bought a Samsung blackjack and used it on the ATT network until I moved to an area w/o cingular/ATT coverage. I unlocked the phone and switched back to Tmobile using their edge network. It is slower, but my battery life went from one day with minimal usage to three days with much usage.
iPhone battery usage probably varies greatly dependent upon your usage patterns, but ATT 3G kills your battery life. Note, that I am using the larger battery with a modified back as well
It's not att's fault if your battery drains faster: 3g chips power consumption is simply huge.
That is the point that I am trying to convey. Engineers and Business people made a decision not to implement 3G circuitry because of the power consumption and lack of integration/size versus the greater bandwidth. There is a link that I can point to with a quote from Jobs and some PCB photos, but I don't know if that is allowed here.
here, I'll jump the gun & link that article for ya:
"No 3G on the iPhone, but why? A Battery Life Analysis"
http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3036
To you Euro folks who haven't yet tried browsing on an iPhone over EDGE, I gotta concur that the iPhone's performance is surprisingly good, feels fairly close to the overall experience on 3G phones when you look at time to render/pan around complex web pages. I think this can be attributed to the iPhone's fast ARM processor, as well as an fast-performing OS and graphics & web libraries...
I'm thinking that having a power-efficient 3G chipset with the kind of battery life Apple wants won't happen before 2008...
Good thing I checked NetNewsWire before clicking 'proceed' on that 16Gb iPod Touch ;oP
Ya, what about Canada??? Those rat bastards at Rogers keep screwing us! They won't give out any information and still charge an arm and a leg and a left testicle for their data plans.
Last time I checked Portugal and Northern Spain(Galicia) was in Europe, while Turkey would(could?) be considered an Asian country(Eurasian country if much) while Russia, well Russians see themselves as something else apart(they only see themselves as Europeans towards the UEFA).
And as such I can't even begin to understand why the Iberian peninsula is cut in half. Whoever made that image is seriously lacking some Geographic knowledge.
And yes, I do care about small things like this. Sue me.
Spain is in Eurpoe?
jk...
You know, i'm going to force myself NOT to gripe at this because I knew this was coming.
We all knew this was coming. Initial iPhone buyers just didn't realize it would be this soon. 3G in my opinion is a huge deal. I would LOVE to have 3G on my iPhone and I hope with all of the hackers out there, or an optional upgrade through Apple.
Either way the rumors of a size increase and 3G has me a tad...unhappy.
I'll tell you where those 3G iPhones are, sitting in a warehouse ready to be released before Christmas. You don't think Apple would lower the price of the current iPhone without a better/more expensive replacement right around the corner. I think we'll see them early 4th quarter ...in the States too.
I wouldn't mind owning the iPhone 16GB version if it came out in the UK along with a 3G chip (and on T-Mob or Vodafone with their unlimited data plans) :P
Man, you Americans got screwed over considering its a two-year contract (most common in the UK is 12month or 18month) and they charge you an arm and a leg for inferior speeds and data caps)
Apple should, by common sense, not charge more than £350-£400 for this when it comes over and even then if you get the most expensive data plans its more than likely to be free as well.
yeah rub salt in the wound... nice... real nice..
Two guys I work with got one in the first week. I do think it's the best phone out there; at least in the US. I count off a few problems:
1. no easy battery replacement - have to mail it in for $80+SH and a loaner phone is another $20
2. no 3G
3. ATT service.. not exactly good... and more often than not crappy cell service
4. 2 year contract requirement
5. Fear of another Today... ie what will sept 25 bring 3G? 16 GB??
I'm dying to get a new phone; I have Sprint(7 years now), which isn't all that bad unless you talk to their customer service folks. Their data(300-700k) is much faster than ATT's(200k), but still well below what I understand Europe/Japan/S Korea gets.
All that said, the damn phone really is great, and hard to resist.
Unlocked any gsm carrier Iphones are on Ebay for 8 and change. Where's the software unlock people?????????????????? With the new price drop and this software, it's to die for.
3G would be the tipping point in my indecision on the iphone too bad I live in the US and verizon rules our airwaves.
by the end of the year:
2nd generation iPhone:
GPS (to interact with google maps)
Stereo bluetooth headset feature
3G
and i'm sold...
We do sorta need a 3G iPhone. You complain in America that the EDGE network is slow for web browsing, but we don't even have that. We'd be downloading pages in slower than 28k dialup. If Apple decided to price a 3G iPhone at $599, that would just be stupid - we wouldn't pay $200 for 3G; we might as well just stick with our current phones, get a touch, and save that $200.
3G? How about trying to work on some basic MMS first Apple?
I have tried to look into it but am not familiar enough with mobile standards to understand. If the iPhone went 3G, would that make it compatible with Sprint/Verizon? Wouldn't that break the 5 year AT&T contract?
The term "3G" is being thrown around, but isn't a specific type of network from what I can tell so it is causing me confusion.
MMS?! Don't make me laugh. MMS (pictures and video messages) are just a waste of time. I could not be bothered to pay the stupid price most European carriers charge for that "service". I am plenty happy with email and bluetooth - and really can't stand people pointing out that the lack of that "feature". Besides they'll probably include it anyway with the 3G version - just because of crybabies like you. Damn MMS, wifi everywhere please!
Once more, there is no keynote scheduled for Apple Expo Paris. If an iPhone is to be announced, I'm pretty sure Steve would want to deliver the good news in person. So even though I hope Engadget's speculation is true, I doubt it is.