News

Rumor: Canadian Apple Stores Won't Sell iPhone 3G

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 at 11:10 AM - by

It appears that Apple might be even more upset with the iPhone 3G rate plans Rogers has in Canada than originally thought, and now will do nothing more than demo the combination iPod and smartphone in its own Canadian stores. The news follows another rumor that claimed Apple cut the iPhone 3G inventory available to Rogers in response to customer outrage over plan pricing, according to AppleInsider.

The alleged move to leave Rogers on its own for iPhone 3G sales surfaced during a private Apple conference call on Monday. There is no word on who was involved in the conversation, or who may have leaked the the information.

It looks like most of Apple's retail locations are unsure whether or not they will have iPhone 3G inventory available on July 11, the official launch date for the second generation iPhone. One store, however, apparently said that it will have demo phones only, and no product to sell.

Many potential Canadian iPhone customers have been angry over what they see as inappropriately high monthly contract fees for limited voice and wireless data access. An online petition at RuinediPhone.com has already collected almost 50,000 signatures, and the group that started the site plans to deliver a printed version of the petition along with comments to Rogers.

Apple's iPhone 3G is set to go on sale on July 11 in about 20 countries. It will include support for faster 3G wireless data networks while maintaining support for EDGE, includes a built-in GPS, access to third-party applications through the App Store, and more. In Canada, however, there may not be as many locations customers can purchase Apple's new handheld come Friday.

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:43 pm

After speaking with a sales person at a local Apple retailer (not an Apple store) it's clear that Rogers has exclusivity on the iPhone for at least the first 6 month in Canada.

Other stores will have accessories.. but the phone can ONLY be purchased at a Rogers /Fido store.

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Sir Harry Flashman said:

member since 08 Feb 2007 with 712 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:46 pm

This might explain why 90% of the Canadian population is massed along the border with the United States?

Seriously what is going on here is Roger and Apple playing hardball?

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:01 pm

Here is what is going on there:

Rogers is the only GSM-based carrier in Canada. All primary wireless carriers in Canada (there are only 3) are rip-off specialists. They have been aided and abetted in this fine art by the Canadian government acting against its own citizens. For example, the ironically named "Competition Bureau" recently allowed Rogers to acquire the only other independent GSM carrier--Fido--thereby eliminating competition in the GSM space! Sweet.

So now along comes the game changing iPhone. Some Canadians can read. They read the rates that AT&T is charging for iPhone services. They read the rates that Robers intends to charge. They got uncharacteristically angry at the huge discrepancy. (Keep in mind that the two countries' currencies are essentially at par. Also keep in mind that because of Canada's concentrated population distribution, provisioning cellular services in Canada is undoubtedly cheaper than doing so in the U.S.)

I suspect that Apple did the very best it could in negotiating with Robers and its monopoly but at the same time anticipated that a consumer backlash would be probable under the circumstances.

So now Apple Canada is rightly taking steps to keep the heat where it belongs--on Robers and government policy.

Go Apple!

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Sir Harry Flashman said:

member since 08 Feb 2007 with 712 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:28 pm

Guest wrote:
Here is what is going on there:

Rogers is the only GSM-based carrier in Canada....

]

Thanks for the info.

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