Here comes the iPhone
Posted: 06 May 08 7:55 pm
After months of speculation and rumour, Vodafone has announced it will be selling Apple's iPhone in Australia later this year.
The deal was broadcast in a press release by Vodafone this afternoon.
"Vodafone Australia is enormously pleased to be included in the agreement to sell the iPhone to our customers later this year," said Russell Hewitt, chief executive officer at Vodafone Australia.
"The iPhone has already proved to be extremely popular with customers in other parts of the world and Vodafone is confident that today's announcement will be well received by all Australians who are keen to get their hands on their own iPhone."
However, the telco did not mention whether the deal was exclusive, raising speculation that other telcos would make similar announcements soon.
"What is interesting to note ... is that (Vodafone) haven't announced that they got it exclusively," Gartner Australia telecommunications analyst Robin Simpson said.
"The next 48 hours will be very interesting, because if they don't have it exclusively then we would expect everyone else to be saying 'me too'."
Both Optus and Telstra said they currently have no announcement regarding the iPhone, while a spokeswoman from Apple Australia said, "we have nothing to add".
There is no word from Vodafone on when the iPhone would be released in Australia or whether it will be the highly anticipated 3G version.
Many IT websites have suggested that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will announce a 3G iPhone at Apple's worldwide developer's conference on June 9 in San Francisco.
Jobs' announcement, and the opening of Apple's flagship store in central Sydney next month, could see a 3G iPhone in Australia sometime this winter.
The iPhone's arrival in Australia is expected to present a huge challenge to other mobile phone manufacturers, including current market leader Nokia.
"It's a huge challenge for them," Mr Simpson said.
"A lot of people are clearly going to hold off upgrading until they see what the actual iPhone is going to be and whether it will be 3G and what other features it will have," he said.
"It's going to be a little bit tough for the other guys over the next few months."
Vodafone's statement said the company also had signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal and South Africa.
AAP
The deal was broadcast in a press release by Vodafone this afternoon.
"Vodafone Australia is enormously pleased to be included in the agreement to sell the iPhone to our customers later this year," said Russell Hewitt, chief executive officer at Vodafone Australia.
"The iPhone has already proved to be extremely popular with customers in other parts of the world and Vodafone is confident that today's announcement will be well received by all Australians who are keen to get their hands on their own iPhone."
However, the telco did not mention whether the deal was exclusive, raising speculation that other telcos would make similar announcements soon.
"What is interesting to note ... is that (Vodafone) haven't announced that they got it exclusively," Gartner Australia telecommunications analyst Robin Simpson said.
"The next 48 hours will be very interesting, because if they don't have it exclusively then we would expect everyone else to be saying 'me too'."
Both Optus and Telstra said they currently have no announcement regarding the iPhone, while a spokeswoman from Apple Australia said, "we have nothing to add".
There is no word from Vodafone on when the iPhone would be released in Australia or whether it will be the highly anticipated 3G version.
Many IT websites have suggested that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will announce a 3G iPhone at Apple's worldwide developer's conference on June 9 in San Francisco.
Jobs' announcement, and the opening of Apple's flagship store in central Sydney next month, could see a 3G iPhone in Australia sometime this winter.
The iPhone's arrival in Australia is expected to present a huge challenge to other mobile phone manufacturers, including current market leader Nokia.
"It's a huge challenge for them," Mr Simpson said.
"A lot of people are clearly going to hold off upgrading until they see what the actual iPhone is going to be and whether it will be 3G and what other features it will have," he said.
"It's going to be a little bit tough for the other guys over the next few months."
Vodafone's statement said the company also had signed an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal and South Africa.
AAP