Canada: Where Art Thou iPhone?
It’s hard to believe the iPhone has been out there for nearly a year…and there are absolutely, positively no signs that it’s coming to Canada.
This is getting ridiculous. I mean, the iPhone looks like it is going to be introduced in New Zealand - a place where there are more sheep than people - 60 million sheep vs. 3 million Kiwis to be exact. Come on, it’s not like Canada is half-way around the world (unlike New Zealand) or a digital backwater - although the alarming lack of real wireless competition, Pandora, iTunes video, NetFlix, SkypeOut et al makes us digital peasants.
I think it comes down to the fact Steve Jobs doesn’t like Canada. Think about it, when the last time Jobs visited the land of maple syrup, hockey, Bloody Caesar’s, beer with 5% alcohol content, hockey, snow, two months of summer, Bobby Orr and a Tim Horton’s on every corner?
The conspiracy theorists among you may contend Apple’s inability to bring the iPhone north of the border has something to do with the fact Toronto-based Comwave Telecom apparently owns the Canadian trademark to the name “iPhone”, and that a deal has yet to be struck. Come on, Comwave is a teeny-tiny, itsby, bitsy company while Apple is, well, Apple. Where’s Rogers’ domo Ted Rogers when you need him given Rogers will likely be the first Canadian carrier to offer the iPhone?
Not that I want an iPhone but all of us in Canada are starting to take the fact we are iPhone-less personally. Enough already, we want the iPhone!
Update: This is embarrassing. Fortune is already talking about iPhone 2.0 while Canada is still waiting for iPhone 1.0.
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, Steve Jobs
March 28th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
My bets are on us not having it until Q1 of 2009. I don’t think its a hatred towards Canada, but instead the lack of control Apple will have. Rogers knows the only way the iPhone (in its current form) can come into Canada is through them, unlike in other markets where Apple could just say “we will just go to your competition”
I also think our data rates would cripple iphone usage and ruin the emotion that Steve wants us to feel with the device.
March 29th, 2008 at 10:14 am
On signs:
http://benlucier.ca/work/technology/apple-iphone-and-cheap-data-coming-to-canada-in-september-08/
March 29th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Last I heard, Rogers tech already had training on supporting the iPhone but the comwave issue is holding it back. As for Rogers, they know they are the only option so they’ll just wait.
March 29th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Rob: Good to know but it’s another six months away!
March 29th, 2008 at 11:30 am
[…] just read an article from Mark Evans about the iPhone still not being available in Canada. Mark seems to think it is because Steve Jobs does not like Canada. Others, as Mark points out in […]
March 29th, 2008 at 11:51 am
My source had confirmed March 08 for the iPhone, but really it was only their unlimited data plan, which only turned out to be unlimited WAP.
My take on the whole thing:
http://www.yansarazin.com/why-canada-does-not-have-the-iphone-yet/
March 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
It is not that Steve Jobs does not like Canada. Steve Jobs does not like Rogers and their predatory data rates. It is that simple. Apple want the end user to have a positive experience and with Rogers
in the mix that is unlikely.
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:13 am
Eventhrough Iphone has not yet come to Vietnam but Vietnamese has been used Iphone for a while after Iphone 1.0 released not more than 2 months. Unlucky for Canadian. May be when Iphone 2.0 released which can sync with Corporate mail, they will introduce to Canada … expectedly
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Steve Jobs does know about Canada. His children attended Rothesay Netherwood private school in Rothesay N.B. and his estranged wife actually built a house there. Something tells me lack of iPhone is more about economics and opportunity.
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Hartley,
It’s interesting that I don’t think he’s been in Canada in an official capacity - at least not that I can remember.