According to wild rumors (and we do mean wild), Canadian "luxury retailer" Holt Renfrew -- the Barney's of the Great White North -- will begin carrying a Canuck version of the beloved
iPhone in about two weeks, for the deliciously low price of $799. The rumor apparently emanates from an "insider source" at the company, though the store's reps won't confirm the news. If you believe the leaker, the retailer will carry an 8GB, GSM version of the phone (obviously, as no other version exists), and it will arrive on store shelves in mid-October. Sure, this sounds enticing, but why would a department store which specializes in high-end goods be the first the carry the iPhone, and where is the announcement (or even rumblings of an announcement) from a carrier in Canada? All intriguing questions which we'll be sussing out answers to... by force. Just kidding.
Update: One of our readers
claims to have been contacted by Holt Renfrew in regards to the iPhone rumors, and here is what they supposedly had to say: "Thank you for your inquiry of the Apple I Phone. I regret that the I Phone, originally planned for our store this fall will no longer be available at Holt Renfrew. In fact, due to other obstacles, the phone will not be here any earlier than January 2008." Of course, we're not buying that Holt Refrew's rep doesn't know how to spell "I Phone," but that's just us.
[Thanks, sculley]
posted October 4th 2007 11:14AM
100% CONFIRMED by 3 employees at their flagship store in Toronto. I asked one, who is very close to me, if they had any plans to sell Apple products again (they sold iPods a few months back)... she laughed and said yes... the iPhone is coming... to be sold with a high end accessory (LV carrying case perhaps).
IT IS NO LONGER A RUMOUR!
I've lived in Canada all my life (just under 30 years) and I have never, ever heard of this company.
The only time I ever heard of it was when I was living in Quebec City for a few weeks, I thought it was a local chain, not knowing there's locations near where I live.
Are you serious? Its probably one of the greatest Canadian retail success stories.
I think the thing that is most interesting is the quote from Rogers
"The iPhone is a phenomenal product and at Rogers Wireless we look forward to being able to offer it in Canada. When we have a public announcement to make, we'll let you know"
So clearly something is in the works...
I sure hope it isn't sold only through HOLT for $800... That would really suck.... I know in the past they have sold cell phones, luxury ones that is. So this could be true, but $800 vs. $400... What is stopping us from driving over the border picking one up down there? If it's going to be aloud in canada, wouldn't that work now without an unlock?
Wow. $799? People do realize that American and Canadian dollar are at par now? How at all is a price this high justified? Especially with an 8gb capacity.
Maybe it's unlocked? How many people are willing to pay unlocked iPhones for $799?
I just want to say that I wanted to verify this with someone within the company, and I was told that they looked at the iPhone months ago, and decided not to take it. It will be realeased with Rogers in January. Simply, the iPhone is not a fashion accessory, the Prada phone is. The iPhone is a current 'fad' and is not something that should be carried within this fashion chain.
The dimensions a little off in that picture?
$799? I can just see the lineup of...5 people waiting to buy it, I sure hope they bring enough iPhones to Canada
I will eat my own penu if this is true.
The only reason I could see the price point so high is because it comes with a high end accessory. I read that "if" this were true it would come with a Louis Vuitton case.
I hate Rogers with a passion. It's a slow-moving dinosaur exemplifying Canadian inefficiency at its worst. As for the iPhone, for $800 CAD, forget it...I feel most Canadians will not bother.
I love all you guys hating on Holt's and the people who shop there. Just because you cannot afford to doesnt make it necessary to knock those who can. You guys are scrubs.
Because watching you walk down the street in $5000 clothing isent hatin on my poor ass already. Not to ment me being broke in general and i gotta deal with this hitler presedent thats going to destroy my doller and make me even more broke.
THAT IS A BUNCH OF CRAP!!!!
Especially since the Canadian dollar is above the US dollar now =D
Whatever... Im getting one from the US and unlocking it
Just be careful buying one in the US that you don't get one with the 1.1.1 firmware already installed. That happened to one of my co-workers today. It was bought at the NY 5th Ave Apple Store on Tuesday and it arrived today.
For those of you thinking of getting an iPhone and unlocking it, make sure the 4th and 5th digits of the serial number are 38 or below. Supposedly this is the best way to tell if it has the 1.0.2 firmware or not without unboxing it.
My co-workers' serial # is 39 and mine is 35, which I've had for 2 weeks and using it on a Rogers $65/1GB Data Plan, which is pretty damn good considering I had my previous Treo 650 on a $40/7MB plan. You read that right – 7 measly megabytes for $40!).
Damn. That sucks.
I am not buying my iPhone myself, but my Aunt may have purchased it already and is shipping it eatehr at the end of this week or next week.
Watch them stick some cheesy wallpapers and rings on it like they did with the Dolce & Gabanna gold Motorola RAZR. They likely want it 'cause it'd be 'exclusive' and that's what Holts is all about. Still, even if they carry it, what's the deal with the voice and data? Who'll take care of all that? I can't imagine Rogers giving them exclusivity on a sane price.
As a Toronto resident, I contacted Holt to confirm this rumour. The guy in the cellphone dept (yes, cellphone dept, they sell Vertu phones) told me that the iPhone will indeed be shipping in two weeks, will sell for $799, and he even took down my number to give me a shout when the units arrive. He sounded confident and breezy, not flustered like I thought he would be under the strain of receiving all these calls about the Canadian iPhone.
So from my experience, this story isn't bullshit. DigitalJournal is right about this rumour, for now.
This is quite possibly the dumbest iPhone rumour yet.
Why would Holt Renfrew, a high-end retail chain, carry a cell phone that has no available carrier in Canada?
And why would they sell it for double the U.S. price when the Canadian dollar is regularly trading above the U.S. dollar?
Honestly, this is just too stupid to print.
Rogers isn't ready for the iPhone to be released in Canada. They are currently rolling out HSPA service (stating with Toronto) and the very earliest it will come out will be early next year. Probably when the 2nd Gen version comes out.
What tells me that the Holt Renfrew thing is totally bogus is the price, it will never be that expensive here plus the fact that Apple would not let an 11 store chain sell an item for an entire country and not their own stores.
THe iPhone will come to Canada, it's a given. Rogers is the only carrier that can handle it so things are just waiting for them to upgrade their network.
I would've never guessed that the words "iPhone" and "Holt Renfrwew" would be used in the same sentence.
"I like iPhones and shopping at Holt Renfrew."
Ain't gonna happen unless Rogers is on board.
Besides, some retailers are selling these in Toronto for 699 unlocked already..
Ain't gonna happen unless Rogers is on board.
Besides, some retailers here are selling them unlocked for 699 already
I think Canada should of been the first place to get the phone outside the US because I think Rogers (or telus mobility operates on the same network)is a division of AT&T because on this Rogers phone that I got from the thrift store (it doesn't work because rogers shut off the network for old phones)says "Rogers AT&T" with both logos.
Rumor Squashed...
This is the reply from a personalshopping@HoltRenfrew.com
Holt Renfrew will not be carrying the iphone. I would check with your
local cell phone dealer.
Holt Renfrew
Personal Shopping, Bloor Street416. 960. 2554
50 Bloor St. West
Toronto, ON M4W 1A1
Forget Holt Renfrew. Apple iPhone is in Canada already!
Yesterday I was browsing through the computer stores on College Street in Toronto and guess what I saw? An 8GB Apple iPhone for $599!!!
I had one foot out the door getting ready to get in line at Holt Renfrew before reaching the end of the article and being brought back to reality.
Why we [Canadians] don't have iPhones...
California has more people than all of Canada.
Rogers and Apple can't agree on which one of them should bend over for the soap.
Roger's ridiculously INSANE data rates.