Apple's iPhone coming to Latin America on America Movil

Just a day after we heard that Vodafone was taking the iPhone on a world tour, in comes word that Apple's darling will be headed to Latin America via America Movil. We aren't told if the deal is one of exclusive nature, nor were we given a specific launch date, but residents of 16 countries in Latin America will have their shot at latching onto an iPhone sometime "this year." Huzzah!

[Thanks, Jesus]

[hi @ May 7th 2008 12:43PM]

So just the regular iphone? i dont think America Movil even has a 3G network up so the new phone / price point would be pointless

[Alex @ May 7th 2008 12:52PM]

Mexico has a 3G network.

[Flashpoint @ May 7th 2008 12:55PM]

As much as I hate Apple and their hardware, for the first time in a long time, the iPhone gave Americans a cellphone that wasn't light years behind the stuff they have on J-phone in Tokyo.

[Ignacio @ May 7th 2008 1:01PM]

Claro (América Móvil) has a 3G network in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and several other countries.

[superalpaca @ May 7th 2008 1:14PM]

and Peru xD

[Alvin @ May 7th 2008 1:18PM]

Doesn't matter. The 3G iphone will also have and Edge radio.

[mjuarez @ May 7th 2008 1:37PM]

Claro, America Movil's company in Guatemala, just rolled out a city-wide 3G network, and will be 3G throughout the country by the end of the year. It's just the US that's still lagging in telecom :)

[Pablo @ May 7th 2008 3:11PM]

And Ecuador... In my country America Movil (Porta) is the only carrier (At the moment) that has a 3G network... good news indeed

[leac.anubis @ May 7th 2008 6:57PM]

America Movil (Comcel) in Colombia also has 3G, stop being so ignorant.

[Jamar @ May 7th 2008 8:33PM]

Oh wow. But is it standard European 3G?

[Santz24 @ May 7th 2008 12:48PM]

I'm beggining to think us spaniards will be the LAST people on EARTH to get the iPhone.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ May 7th 2008 12:48PM]

LOL at "Thanks, Jesus"!

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 12:48PM]

nobody fucks with The Jesus

[Mohsin @ May 7th 2008 12:51PM]

the so called "jesus phone" was tipped off by Jesus himself!

[Ally @ May 7th 2008 1:38PM]

i hear he dropped the "Son of God" tag after a run in with some Romans :O

[Duk @ May 7th 2008 12:51PM]

In Brazil, America Movil (Claro) has implemented its 3G network using same 850Mhz of american AT&T. Claro is similar to AT&T in operation term, because it operates in 850Mhz and has coverage over almost whole brazilian territory.

[Evan @ May 7th 2008 12:54PM]

I'll bet Brazil gets it before Canada.

[sansivar @ May 7th 2008 1:03PM]

Here in El Salvador, Central America we have 3G from Claro, the same as in Brazil. CLARO has gave some iPhone's to some people for testing, I can confirm this.

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 1:13PM]

Here in Soviet Russia, phone camera watch YOU

[Taylor @ May 7th 2008 1:26PM]

Here on mars, aliens run around all day long making fun of us earthlings for not being able to find them!

OMG! Aliens exist!!!!1111one!

I can confirm rumors too! :)
-Taylor

[Gustavo @ May 7th 2008 1:14PM]

America Movil has 3G in already in 4 Latin American countries, including Mexico and Colombia, were their 3G is way ahead of american 3G. In Colombia and Mexico you can already do video calling.

[sansivar @ May 7th 2008 1:22PM]

The same here in El Salvador

[Frank @ May 7th 2008 1:22PM]

And what about Puerto Rico???

There is no iPhone here and our service provider is AT&T (2G and 3G).

When is apple going to release the iPhone in PR? PR is ruled by the FCC and has the same service providers as in the US. I don't get it.

By the way there is no America Mobile in PR.

[Jovany @ May 7th 2008 1:35PM]

Loko, they just said America Mobil is the same company as Claro... so maybe, just maybe this is PR's chance... and its true, being that AT&T is in PR, has 2G and 3G it's rather strange we never got the iPhone. You just know puertorricans are going to lap it up by the thousands maybe millions (we're about about 4.5 mil) ... maybe AT&T are just waiting for the 3G version... that's the one I would want anyway...

Just watch it, everyone and their little kid is going to get it here LOL...

and continuing with an Apple related topic... you can get iPods, Macs and "what not" Apple products here in the island, but when you want to buy from the online Apple Store (products, not songs) it doesn't let you... always hated that....

[josearoldan @ May 7th 2008 1:41PM]

Claro is rolling their 3G GSM Network along the CDMA one already here in Puerto Rico, and they are part of america movil so time will tell for us here. Anyway I bought one unlocked and Im using it on SumCom.

[KoL @ May 7th 2008 1:43PM]

we can activate the iPhone if you buy one in the US. I have one activated with AT&T.
Claro is America Movil. If they bring the iPhone to Claro, are we going to be able to active it with two different providers???

[Dante Smith Stone @ May 7th 2008 2:49PM]

Claro is America Movil, so that means Claro (Verizon Wireless Before) will be the official carrier for the iPhone phone in Puerto Rico! huzzahh!

[Angel G @ May 8th 2008 8:34PM]

Dont know what you are talking about. If you buy an Iphone in an apple store you can activate it on ATT with your 787 or 939 number using Itunes no hack needed or required. The thing is that ATT in Puerto Rico dont tell you about it because they are not the ones that support the Iphone if it has problems, you have to bring it or ship it to apple for a replacemente. But there is Iphone in Puerto Rico, I have one with 787. ATT would deny it if you go to the local stores but if you call to the Iphone number on the ATT page they can confirm all I am telling you here...

[Barb @ May 8th 2008 4:55AM]

Claro is on a CDMA network in Puerto Rico (it runs on the old Verizon network) so I don't know if the iphone will come to PR through Claro. As far as I know the iphone is GSM.

[Taylor @ May 7th 2008 1:25PM]

OOhhhhh, it's APPLE's iPhone.... Thanks for the clarification, i thought it might have been Cisco's iPhone that's coming to America Movil...
;)
-Taylor

[ridgecity @ May 7th 2008 1:32PM]

I wonder how much it will cost here in Mexico? last year, the LG PRADA was selling for $1,100 dollars with a $40 data subscription, so we will expect a price around that...

[Rozo @ May 7th 2008 1:37PM]

Sure, cause here in Latin American nobody has bought hacked iPhones off eBay, and nobody uses them....

[Heathen @ May 7th 2008 1:39PM]

OMG Really????? GREAT!!!!


Why must we read about every last country the iPOS is launching in?

[Zak @ May 7th 2008 2:21PM]

Why must you comment on stories you don't want to read? Are you that unclear on how this works?

[Inkreef @ May 7th 2008 1:40PM]

OK, I give up... f*ck the iPhone. F*ck Apple. F*ck Rogers. US companies proved to us that they don't give a f*ck about Canada...

[cromas @ May 7th 2008 1:44PM]

Uh...Rogers announced it's coming a week or two ago...

[Inkreef @ May 7th 2008 1:50PM]

Ted Rogers said "It's coming later this year"... It'll be "à la Steve Jobs"...

Rogers launch Apple's iPhone on December 31st 2008

[CraigJ @ May 7th 2008 2:11PM]

Rogers is a US company?

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 2:13PM]

hmm guess Canadians can be as stupid as us. who knew?

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 7th 2008 4:01PM]

Look here. Sure, you want the iPhone, but you're in Canada and should be using a BlackBerry to support your brothers. There's most likely only handful of people who are going to buy the iPhone in Canada, so Apple can take it's sweet time getting it across the border. It'll hardly be worth Apple's effort to sell a few thousand iPhones to Canucks. Probably be claimed too expensive, anyway.

[Chapado @ May 7th 2008 1:44PM]

Great!
Maybe US$1000 for a 4GB iPhone? Plus US$200 basic month fee (no internet access)?
I'm going to get some at grey market.

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 1:45PM]

mercado gris?

[Lautaro @ May 7th 2008 2:39PM]

You think so? Because you can get that damn phone here in Argentina already unblocked for less than US$ 700 everywhere. So America Movil (Claro) will have to sell it cheaper than that if they want to sell some.

[Azhtar @ May 7th 2008 7:43PM]

Indeed, In Mexico, if you want to get a good 'ol Nokia N73 you pay as much as $400 USD and a $35.00 for 18 month contract, I just can't imagine how much will mexicans will have to pay to Mr. Carlos $lim to get their precious Iphones, I knew it was comming since America Movil (Telcel in Mexico) announced the new 3G network and flat rate data plans.

[lawrence @ May 7th 2008 1:55PM]

Hey dear americans... did you know that America Movil (Telcel) has a 3G network working in Monterrey City several months ago? Mexico had a 3G network even before NYC. Pfff

[gijs @ May 7th 2008 2:09PM]

Bwa, no phone in Belgium yet..

[Dovecand1 @ May 7th 2008 2:09PM]

Wow! Awesome! But you still wouldn't see me walking down the street in Mexico w/ an iPhone... I'd just be asking to get shanked and jacked

[Ridgecity @ May 7th 2008 3:03PM]

actually there was a guy killed in Mexico City while robbers were trying to steal his phone, what was it? a unlocked iphone...

[kirk @ May 7th 2008 7:34PM]

When I was in the DF and Monterrey last month I saw tons of people with iPhones. These weren't norteamericanos roaming, these were locals using unlocked phones Telcel or Movistar.

[apeguero @ May 7th 2008 2:10PM]

Muy Bueno!