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Attention, Digital Peasants: the iPhone is Coming

April 29, 2008 BY Mark Evans

Iphone Canada-4
So, it’s been nearly a year since the iPhone was breathlessly unveiled. And in that time, it has become a smash hit…..but not in Canada.

Why? Because Canadians (aka digital peasants) can’t buy an iPhone in Canada because none of the carriers sell them.

But wait! There’s hope for us who live without. Rogers plans to introduce the iPhone to Canada….”later this year”.

Yes, we will be getting the iPhone but, in a cruel twist, our only GSM carrier won’t tell us when. Here’s a statement from wireless domo Ted Rogers.

“We’re thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Canada later this year. We can’t tell you any more about it right now, but stay tuned.”

How should we react? Excited that it’s coming? Disappointed we still have to wait an indeterminable amount of time? Pissed that we still don’t have the iPhone?

One more thing: as much as we all want to get excited about the iPhone, let’s see what kind of data packages that ARPU-happy Rogers offers.

This news must be big because it’s topping Techmeme and the coverage includes 9to5Mac, ZDNet and Engadget have all stories on it.

Update: AT&T is apparently going to sell the 3G version of the iPhone for $199 with a two-year plan. I wonder if Rogers is willing to match those kind of prices?

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  • http://www.twitter.com/scottgee/ scottgee

    Their precious ARPU could be offset by volume. If they bring the monthly cost with unlimited data to level with the Bell/Telus/Rogers BlackBerry plan, Ted would cause a sea change in both consumer and business markets.

    This would have to wait until the enterprise/exchange support piece launches in June (fingers-crossed) I doubt there’s an executive in Canada that wouldn’t love flashing out an iPhone with exchange support in their next meeting. They currently have pissing matches with their BB models as it is.

    It’s not going to happen, but it’s likely their strongest move to shift the market. We all know the wireless market in Canada! Nobody ever makes a strong move. They are too comfortable in their warm and swaddling oligopoly.

    Data plans aside, this doesn’t bode well for RIM. Web browsing on a BB is dismal at best, and complaints of “no physical keyboard” in the iPhone are niggling. I’m just as proficient typing on my Touch as I am on my BB and the Touch doesn’t wake my spouse with a bubble-wrap popping of each key. My Touch lacks a phone and camera yet I find it as useful as my BB. Connect it to a cell network (aka the iPhone) and it’s got the BB beat hands down!

    Apple-haters will grumble in denial, but those in want of a single device to rule them all know the iPhone is as close as we’ve come so far!

    Return to thumb twiddling, peasants!

  • Ethan

    It seems like a good guess that they’re getting the 3G iPhone so they can’t divulge the date as a) they don’t have it or b) Apple won’t let them tell people what it is to keep the 3G phone launch under wraps.

  • http://www.acorscadden.com Adrian Corscadden

    about friggin time……that’s all I have to say!

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  • http://neel.org/ Travis Neel

    Yes, this is great news. I only hope that Apple can convince Rogers to offer a decent data plan. Cellular data charges are probably the only thing that’s prevented me from by buying a an unlocked iPhone up to this point.

  • Zimer

    Total monopoly for Rogers, only one with 3G!! Too lucrative for Rogers to limit data plans and then charge by megabit??
    Keep in mind that Apple will receive some funds off the plans sold for the duration of the contract. They do with AT&T I am sure!!!
    I probably think that unlimited plans are out of the question however I hope that Rogers does offer plans that suits ones needs from regular to business plans, affordable though.

    zimer

  • david lundquist

    Roger’s is busy hacking up all its data plans, on high speed internet they keep shoving outrageous changes down everyone’s throat. If the IPhone is ever released here, rogers will neuter it. The terse release says it all… Apple and Rogers still don’t have a real deal

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