No iPhone for Canada?
With all the hullabaloo surrounding confirmation of the iPhone launching in June in the United States, people living outside the US are wondering when they’re going to see the iPhone. Despite Canada seeming like a no-brainer country to sell the iPhone in–and Steve Jobs’ notorious pan-North Americanism obsession–the answer could be never:
In Canada, Rogers Wireless Inc. — the only wireless service provider in the country with a network the iPhone can use — offered no launch date and dismissed the idea that it would sell the highly anticipated device as “speculation.”
Some analysts believe it is a serious possibility that Rogers will, at least for the first several months of the iPhone’s life, hold off on selling the device. Because of current contractual obligations to other cellphone makers and network upgrades being worked on, it may not be feasible to offer the iPhone.
We have a hard time believing that Apple would let a significant market like Canada go untapped for a significant period of time, and given Apple’s ability to ‘nudge’ companies, we still think Canada will get the iPhone sooner rather than later. Canada is a major market for Macs and iPods, but if iPhone competitors get into the country first, there’s no way it won’t hurt Apple. Given Rogers’ status as the sole GSM provider in the country, they could very well just be increasing their leverage with this kind of talk.
If you’re dying to get your hands on an iPhone for use in Canada and just can’t imagine waiting beyond the US release date, there will surely be a huge market for unlocked iPhones. The cost of an unlocked iPhone will likely be absolutely terrifying, but if you simply must have it, that is an option. We’re not sure of any other strategies to get around this latitudinal prejudice, but we’ll keep you posted if we hear anything.
Filed under: iPhone News
While I hope they make a deal so I can get the iPhone here in Canada, Apple has always treated Canada as the poor stepchild to the US market. And if you don’t live in the metro-Toronto area [which is the center of the universe], you can forget about seeing an Apple store or even an Apple rep.
There are many regulatory challenges which Apple has to deal with in Canada, which slows the introduction of technologies like the iPhone.
Some of these may take a longer time to work through which when added to negotiations with providers likely delays same time releases in Canada.
Apple, despite it’s “strength” has limited resources, time and energy. It can’t / won’t work on all fronts simultaeously
As the old saying goes, “This too shall pass”
It will get here sometime….
At least that is how it seems to me.
regards,