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iPhone to become subsidized, non-exclusive?
RBC analyst Mark Abramsky says that the iPhone will exceed its projected goal of 10 million devices sold in 2008 -- possibly by selling upwards of 14 million. How is Apple going to get these sales figures? Well, Abramsky suggests that AT&T could subsidize the iPhone by up to $200 for the 8GB model. This would mean the 8GB iPhone could sell for as little as $199 (previously rumored here); and possibly increase sales by 50 to 100 percent. According to Abramsky, this would mean Apple would have to drop revenue sharing with AT&T. Mr. Abramsky also believes that Apple will start to sell unlocked iPhones (or iPhones without a specific carrier) without a premium over the AT&T iPhones. He suggest that unlocked iPhones could increase the adoption rate by two to three times for Apple's phone.All of Abramsky's conjecture hinges on Apple and AT&T agreeing to end their 5 year exclusivity agreement early. We here at TUAW see no real reason for either company to agree to that, at least not in the States.
Unlocked Treo 500 around the corner for Europe
We suspect it might have some trouble doing battle against the best that other manufacturers have to offer in the Windows Mobile space, but that apparently won't stop Palm from soon offering a carrier unlocked version of its Treo 500 handset in Europe. The move should come shortly following the expiration of Vodafone's period of exclusivity, with availability as soon as next month according to The Register. Seeing how no official announcement has been made, there isn't any pricing information -- but our question is, at what price point would it have to slot to be competitive against, say, an i620?[Via Palm Infocenter]
Orange says unlocked iPhones are, in fact, unlocked
Some hubbub across the 'nets the past few days suggested that the unlocked iPhones being offered by Orange in France were -- of all things -- country locked, a rather unusual (but still perfectly valid and real) form of SIM lock that would require that the SIM of a French carrier be installed in the phone. Now, by our calculation, this would've been about the crappiest thing Apple and Orange could've done and still be within the boundaries of French law requiring that phones be offered unlocked. We certainly wouldn't put it past the terrible twosome, but fortunately, it looks like the fears were a little overblown; iLounge is claiming that they've confirmed with Orange that the unlocked units are not country locked. We imagine it's not a big deal for the domestic market there either way, but for the good folks in surrounding countries, it makes the sitch a little easier.
Neuros develops "Unlocked Media" brand for DRM-free stuff
It's just a little element in the ongoing fight against DRM, but every part helps, and we're kind of digging the idea. Neuros has developed a name and logo for DRM-free media to allow companies to brand their products in such a way that consumers know they're getting a fully portable file. "Unlocked Media" might not be super catchy as far as names go, but we like the idea of a positive move that consumers and companies can latch onto; promote the benefits of DRM-free, rather than just decry the evils of copy protection. The branding is available to "any entity that uses media using open standard technology which is available to all on a non-discriminatory basis." Neuros hopes some independent third party will step in to manage the trademark. Oh, and if all this is too optimistic for you, there are some grating explanatory videos after the break that will have you running back to the open arms of "Big Media" in a heart beat.
Palm offers up unlocked Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6
If you loathe the carrier branding, or would just like to go gallivanting around the world with zero strings attached, Palm's now selling its co-flagship Treo 750 with Windows Mobile 6 direct and unlocked for $549. The GSM world phone can of course do the 3G thing in the US and Europe, so it's ideal the jet set type willing to deal with the Treo bulk, but other than the unlock it's the same old Treo, so we're sure you've already decided whether this one's right for you. The phone is available at Palm's online and retail stores. [Via MobileBurn]
Analyst: 10% of iPhones sold to unlockers
Apple Insider has an analyst saying that 10% of iPhones sold in Apple stores in September were being bought by people who are then turning around and selling them unlocked. That seems like a big number when you picture the situation Gene Munster, the analyst, describes: "one Apple employee acknowledged that customers were buying five iPhones per store visit in order to turn around and resell them unlocked."But is it really that big? 90% of people buying iPhones are sticking with AT&T, so considering that Apple got the support of a network and a slice of the service plan profits, a number like 10% of unlocks actually seems to me like it validates Apple's choice to sell the phone locked. SDKs, jailbreaks, and customer rights (oh my) aside, if only 10% of iPhones out there are unlocked (and the number's probably much lower, as all the iPhones sold before September were probably not unlocked at all), Apple's original decision was justified, in my view.But I'm not defending them for breaking things with 1.1.1. Apple hasn't released the numbers on September sales yet, but 10% of a lot is still a lot, in terms of bricked iPhones because of the unlock crackdown. I haven't heard any tales of folks who paid a lot for an unlocked iPhone and then got a brick with the 1.1.1 update, but I'm sure they're out there and unhappy.
Apple's locked iPhones the subject of new class-action suit
The Apple class-action party continues folks, this time featuring a disgruntled New York State customer named Herbert H. Kliegerman, who claims that the Cupertino giant failed to adequately disclose information pertaining to the "locked" nature of the iPhone and the roaming charges which might be incurred if a user was to take the device overseas. According to the 9-page suit, which was filed Monday in a New York Supreme Court, Kliegerman traveled to Mexico a few weeks after purchasing the phone, where he proceeded to check e-mails and make calls, blissfully unaware (or so the suit tells us) that AT&T would be charging international roaming fees for the usage. Apparently, when Mr. Kliegerman received his bill, he was shocked to discover $2,000 in the aforementioned fees. The suit argues that if he had been allowed to unlock the phone and use a foreign SIM card, the costs could have been avoided. As a result, Mr. Kliegerman is seeking a judgement which bars Apple from selling locked iPhones, plus an order for the company to offer unlock codes to all current owners. Perhaps Mr. Kliegerman should call these dudes.
Unlocked iPhones now available in Hong Kong -- cost arm, leg
Just how bad do ya want an iPhone, punk? Yeah, we're talking to you, Mr. Hong Kong Resident, because they're now available in your neck of the woods -- if the price is right, anyway. Supposedly unlocked examples of Apple's mobile gem (which we're starting to believe is really possible, even if this picture doesn't definitively prove it) are floating around the territory for a stiff $2,000, though that number falls to $750 if you can supply the phone yourself and bring it in just for the unlocking service. Still, though, you'd better really want one.[Via Gearfuse]
PSP firmware 3.50 enables full 333MHz clockspeed
It may not be the long-rumored PSP redesign, but if you've got a PSP, it underwent a secret upgrade last month when you installed firmware 3.50. Sure, Remote Play is nice, but what you'd really like is a PSP that's instantly 25% faster. We're not talking about fancy new UMD drives, or faster processors; it's the same old PSP but Sony's uncapped the existing processor from 266MHz to 333MHz.Sony has confirmed to Shacknews that developers working on games currently in development (your existing games aren't going to run faster) now have access to the full CPU speed of the post-3.50 PSP. The clock speed was believed to have been limited previously to conserve battery power, leading to obvious speculation that this change would be made possible by a newly redesigned PSP, replete with increased battery life. If that's the case, what about these new 333MHz games running on our old battery-addicted PSPs?[Via PSP Fanboy]
Dell selling unlocked high-end Nokia phones online
In a welcome, yet odd, development, Dell has started selling several high-end Nokia phones in an unlocked state via its online store. So far searches reveal that Dell is selling the Nokia N80, E61i, and E61 for around $400, and the N95 for $732. Those prices don't sound too great when compared to in-contract prices, but compared to similar unlocked offerings from high street stores they're pretty damn competitive. Besides, it doesn't look as if Dell is partnering with any mobile operators, and is instead highlighting the unlocked prices. Unlocked cellphone price war, anyone? If Dell's in the game, then you can bet that others will join.
Haier's shiny Sterling handset gets official
Way back in January we were able to get our comparatively large palms around Haier's minuscule Elegance, and now the company's latest mirrored handset has gotten official with a pre-order price and release date. The oh-so-shiny Sterling brings back the bling factor in a serious way, and while it may look like there's no external display on this bad boy, we promise it's just an illusion. Underneath the facade resides a 1.8-inch color LCD, 1.3-megapixel camera, a pair of "music puzzle games," support for MP3, WMA, MP4, and AAC files, USB 2.0 connectivity, Bluetooth, 128MB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, and a battery capable of staying alive through three solid hours of yapping. Interestingly, you can plunk down a "non-refundable" deposit of $199 now in order to secure a position in line when it launches worldwide in July, but considering that there's no word on how much extra you will be billed upon shipment, we'd be mighty hesitant to pull the trigger just yet.[Via I4U, thanks Luigi]
Rumor: Apple iPhone could be sold unlocked?
Any and every rumor is in the air about the iPhone these days, but this one is probably the first of the recent batch that sounds pretty interesting. The mobile phone market is a pretty tough customer - carriers need to lock their customers down, and there are plenty of handset makers who already have large stakes in their turf. Apple has already stepped up to bat - twice - by trying to partner with one of those handset makers, and I think it'd be difficult to argue that they got anywhere past even first base.Considering Apple's strengths - making great hardware and software - in light of their past failures in working with Motorola in this space, it seems entirely plausible for the company to aim for the stands on their third time at bat. By both developing and - this is the key - selling the iPhone all on their own, Apple not only gets to design everything their way, but they get to sell it to a much broader audience by offering it as an unlocked device through their own retail stores, rather than as a subsidized tool to force customers to either sign or break contracts, depending on their circumstances. This means Apple gets to flex their engineering muscles and rake 100% of their own profits - not a bad prospect for a company who is used to working solo in the hardware department, and by now is probably feeling the heat from sexy music handsets like Verizon's Chocolate.For now, however, this is simply my attempt at applying some logic to a rumor. It sounds possible, but only January's Macworld (or 'the first half of next year') can provide anything to bank on.[via digg]
