The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe
By Darren Murph 
posted November 23rd 2009 12:21AM
posted November 23rd 2009 12:21AM
Go figure, right? You get a relatively hot phone out onto more carriers, and just like that, sales increase. It ain't rocket science, buster. As AT&T grins happily while enjoying a death grip on Apple's cash cow here in the States, things are a lot more wide open for consumers across the pond. In both France and the UK, the iPhone has been given the all-clear to be sold on multiple carriers, and according to research from Bernstein, the "widening of the distribution has boosted Apple's value market share to 32 percent in the latest quarter from 21 percent just three months earlier." The notes also mention that Apple's increase is coming at the expense of RIM, with over 600,000 iPhone handsets being sold during Q3 2009 in France alone. The point to all this madness? Oh, not much -- just to tell Sir Jobs that he can count on quite a bit more dough should he decide to sell this elusive "iPhone" device on Verizon in the US of A.
So you're too good to experience a decent product, just because it is "mainstream" and "popular" and "the kiddies use it"? Just because teenagers use it, that makes it a "toy"?
Think what you will, but the iPhone has some decent features.
Despite it's many, many flaws, there are actually useful apps on the app store. The iPhone is a phone above all else, and when it comes right down to it, it's actually a pretty decent phone.
So get off your high horse, and come play in the McDonald's ball pit with the rest of us "kiddies" :P. Who knows? You might actually have fun.
T-Mobile USA uses "GSM", but with uncommon bands of frequency UMTS1700/UMTS1900.
Basically America uses UMTS850 and UMTS1900, and the rest of the world uses UMTS900 and UMTS2100.
The iPhone is a tri-band 3G phone: UMTS850, UMTS1900 and UMTS2100.
I really do want Apple to leave ATT and go to Sprint, Verizon is too expensive and I'm tired of paying $90 a month for 450 minutes with ATT. This would really save Sprint.
My only gripe is some of the limitations of CDMA, where you can't talk and browse the web at the same time. I'll admit that is a very rare occurrence for me, but the other is not being able to use your phone in a different country due to the lack of no SIM card.
Correct me if I'm wrong about some off these limitations.
Sprints unlimited everything plans sound very enticing, and I hear I they have 4G now.
It's not just the lack of SIM card that stops you using a CDMA phone outside the US (or the handful of countries with CDMA networks), it's the fact that CDMA2000 is incompatible with GSM/WCDMA.
id like to see it on at least T-Mobile especially with their rate plans being so much cheaper.. Its GSM just different bands for 3g i don't think it would be to hard to make a model for T-Mobile.
i have to pay so much on att. really wish iphone come out on tmobile as they have the cheapest plans.
Wow, really? More sales? You mean, like all those years before comanies exported their US-centric model to Europe? I can hardly believe it. Next up you'll tell me that competition leads to lower prices and other newfuddled nonsense.
So Apple, when will you simply sell the iPhone unlocked out of the box in the US?
The problem with US market is that the consumer are so blinded and brainwashed that they are simply confused with the idea of having a phone available as unlocked. Just look at how many people wanting the droid on Verizon, instead of demanding for Moto to simply sell the Milestone unlocked. It's mind boggling.
definitely, people don't realize their monthly bill would be lower if their service provider wasn't subsidizing the cost of their phone.
people are so willing to accept it, the growth of netbooks bundled with wireless service just reinforces it. a whole new way for us to get ripped off.
unlocked is the way to go.
Who gives a ratsass with the Nokia N900 coming out.
all those comments and not a single coherent thought. wow.
guess what guys, ATT is the biggest company with the most customers by a mile. Apple doesn't want to be on any rinky dink network like .. pfft.. Sprint? Wow...
Uh, you do realize that ATT is giving hudreds of dollars to Apple for each iPhone customer, right? Hence, they get exclusivity on the best phone in the world?
Some of you are so ignorant as to the agreement between Apple and ATT, you shouldn't really be commenting on here.
And by the way, for the record, IF VERIZON HAD AS MANY CUSTOMERS AS ATT, THEIR NETWORK WOULD BE DOWN TOO.
Get it?
Verizon Wireless: 83.7m customer base
AT&T : 81.6m customer base
So where are you getting your info that they have more customer than Verizon and what does that have to do with their $h!!ty 3g coverage?
I am sorry i take that back we have 89m now
I would definitely like to see the iPhone or several US carriers. I love the iPhone and I would like to have a choice in carrier. Currently, I love AT&T. It is the only provider in which I can get full bars in my house, however, I would lime the option to have my favorite device available on another network if I were to become dissatisfied with AT&T for some reason.
Why do I get a strong feeling that Engadget secretly loves both Apple and Verizon. I'm sure they're both great companies, but what's with the bias, Engadget?
I bought an iPhone 3GS in Hong Kong (unlocked GSM) and now use it on T-M. No problem....only have a prepaid account so need to rely on various free wifi spots around town.
I've never had any problems with AT&T, but I think the iPhone is such an appealing device to the general public here in the states, that people will sacrifice and switch networks for this device. However opening the handset to other carriers doesn't seem like a bad idea either.
Considering the US doesn't have so much as even two national GSM providers that use the same 3G frequency bands, this has been and will continue to be a slam dunk for AT&T. No reason for them to make a CDMA version considering it's used in about 20% of the world maybe. Because TMO waited forever to buy spectrum, they got stuck with the oddball frequency, which makes the devices for them either highly customized to them or, not cost effective for manufacturers to produce.
Why would Apple make a CDMA version when the modern world (sans the US) uses GSM? Forgetting about which one is better, just look at potential return on investment. The US would be the biggest buyer of it, and a complete re-work of the code for one country? Nah, just doesn't make sense.
Sir Jobs doesn't want more money. He wants more power and to be King!
Not that I wish ill of AT&T or anything, but I sincerely hope they lose exclusivity with Apple. I have been a loyal AT&T customer for many years and I have to say that the iPhone is killing the carrier. Aside from the new Bold 9700, I feel like AT&T is far behind the rest of the pack when it comes to devices (the network is a different story all together). If they lose the iPhone exclusivity, maybe it will force them to get to do something innovative and stop pushing the iPhone on everyone. Memo to AT&T, not everyone wants one. Second memo to AT&T, you're going to lose customers because we would like a real choice, not just the choice between an iPhone and a BlackBerry, both of which are old technology at this point.
Wait wait wait........hold on. So what you are telling me is that when you expose a device to a larger audience that there is a chance more people will buy it? This just blew my mind.
Bring it to Sprint!
I don't think apple wants out of the Niche market it has in the US. If the iPhone was on Verizon it would become the Moto Razer of this generation. Also I don't think Steve is probably too happy with the advertisements coming out of Verizon. I think putting an Apple device on the isle of lost toys was a bad idea if you want to be bedfellows with Steve Jobs.
Secondly I really haven't found another phone like the iPhone that is so accessible and easy to setup for the common user. The level of polish and the amount of apps/internet functionality is pretty much unparalleled IMO.. I work in IT I have to set up about 5+ new smart phones a month nothing comes close to the ease of use of the iPhone.
Yeah, it's now on Orange too. And in january it's going on Vodafone.
At the moment thogh I can't see the point. Both O2 and Orange are offering EXACTLY the same deals. Prices, Minutes, Texts.... All the same. Except Orange is a god awful network.
Same as in Italy - three carriers, same prices, same coverage, there's no real competition in pay-as-you-go heavy countries
People think about the 3G factor!
Phone is important too but w/o the network people will complain that it's phone.
I know VZW is another suitable for 3G
iPhone did have a chance to settle with AT&T
I hate that iphone is not working well with 3G
but com'on people.
Verizon logo on clean awesome looking front of iPhone?
Apple does need to break that barrier with exclusivity tho. then i think palm and other comes will do that same.
Consumer has right to choose their own device and network separately. Dont we? any legal advice?
We Canadians have it on all three of our not-really-competing-but-they-try-to-make-it-look-like-it carriers.
bring it to Sprint! it would save them. AT&T's network is absolutely terrible where I live; I used to have sprint and they have better coverage in my area by far.
on the topic of making a CDMA device, I really don't think it's too much of a hardship for Apple to make a CDMA iPhone for the United States. It is a huge market for them. They could also make it like a world phone or something and have a SIM card slot so you could use it overseas.
I thought the US had a law in place that if the customer requires their phone to be unlocked for international use the carrier has to comply, right?