Apple’s $1,996 UK iPhone
p2pnet news | Mobiles:- If you’re a British Macolyte or, perhaps, an early adopter, will that be sufficient to persuade you to fork out £1,000 (about $1,996) for an iPhone?
It’s due to arrive in the British Isle on November 9 with the basic unit costing £269 – £69 more than in the US, Times Online points out.
And like Americans, buyers will also be locked into a contract with the network provider of Apple’s choice, in this case O2.
They’ll have to sign up for at least a year-and-a-half at a minimum cost of £35 per month.
“That puts the cost of the handset and contract at between £899 and £1,259, depending on the call plan,” continues the story.
Moreover, “In a blow for consumers, the phone will not offer a fast 3G data connection – as some analysts had hoped,” it states, adding:
“Instead it will work using so-called ‘Edge’ technology – which offers speeds midway between 2G and 3G and over ‘wi-fi’ in 7,500 hotspots.”
Steve Jobs blames the price difference principally on the tax variances between the US and UK markets, “as well has higher distribution and service costs in the UK compared with the US,” says the Financial Times, continuing:
“Mr Jobs declined to detail of the revenue-sharing arrangement between Apple and 02, but the operator is expected to pass at least 10 per cent of the revenue generated by iPhone users from phone calls and data functions, such as web browsing, to Apple.”
Mobile-phone sales should reach 178 million units this year in the 16 countries that make up western Europe, “about the same that will be sold in the U.S.,” Bloomberg News has Gartner’s Carolina Milanesi saying.
“Germany is the largest market, followed by the U.K., Italy, France and Spain, she said,” the story says, going on:
“In Germany, T-Mobile is the biggest wireless operator, with 34.3 million users. O2 is the largest in the U.K., with 17.8 million users and in France, Orange has the most, with 23.4 million.”
Also See:
Times Online – Apple unveils launch of £1,000 UK iPhone, September 18, 2007
Financial Times – Apple picks O2 for iPhone, September 18, 2003
Bloomberg News – Apple Says IPhone to Be Sold in the U.K. , September 18, 2003
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September 18th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
and people are complaining about the PS3s price? o.o come one man…
September 19th, 2007 at 1:46 am
I’ve not been following the prices. Is the phone $200 in America? Or did you already do the currency conversion? I ask as they normally just use the US price and stick a £ in front (despite there now being something ike $2 to the £1).