Interview With Apple Russia IMC Director

Posted by dennis on March 12th, 2007 at 02:20pm Comments

Recently a Russian newspaper Vzglyad (translated as “Look”) conducted an interview with Apple Russia IMC president Evgeniy Bootman. We’ve translated it and are reprinting the part that relates to Apple iPhone, as there are many questions that Mr Bootman answered that relate to global iPhone issues.

From this interview we found out that iPhone’s launch is dictated by availability of iTunes stores in particular countries. Mr Bootman also believes that Russia will probably receive iPhone v2.0 upon its initial launch there, which leads us to believe that Asia, Australia, South America, Africa, and other regions that should get the iPhone only next year will also get iPhone v2.0 right away.

Mr Bootman also stated that Apple still didn’t decide on a business model for iPhone’s distribution in Europe. Last but not least, we now know that Apple is not worried about iPhone clones, like the Meizu MiniOne, as imitation is the most sincere form of flattery – Meizu MiniOne was even compared to a fake Louis Vuitton. You can read the interview transcript below.

Q: Could you name the most important features of the iPhone? Will it appear in Russia, and if so, when?
A: iPhone is essentially composed of three devices: smartphone, portable computer, and widescreen iPod. It’s designed for three categories of buyers: those that need a player, those that need a smartphone with extended features, and those that would want to use it as a portable computer.

iPhone will be released in June 2007 in the USA, and in Europe at the end of 2007. When we’ll decide about concrete release dates for Europe, we will also decide when it will appear in such countries as Russia. Until now we still haven’t decided about Russian release dates. However I can imagine that when iPhone will finally arrive in Russia, it will already be at v2.0, as a lot can change in a year.

Yevgeniy Bootman

Q: How much will it cost?
A: In USA the iPhone will be sold together with a Cingular contract. In Russia, there’s a different mobile phones distribution system. But for now we can only orient ourselves towards American pricing. Apple announced prices of $499/599 for 4/8GB models respectively. Exactly those prices will be followed, no matter what rumors are circulating around. In Europe and Russia, it will possibly cost 20% more.

Q: Are you anticipating any difficulties with iPhone’s launch in Russia?
A: I don’t see any difficulties that could separate Russia from the rest of Europe. Once Apple will come up with a business model for European market, we will immediately decide how to distribute it in Russia.

There’s only one particular thing I need to accent: Apple Inc. owns the largest music downloads service in the world, iTunes.com. Practically everywhere in Europe there are localized versions of iTunes, while there’s no Russian version, and it certainly won’t be introduced in 2007. iPhone will first appear in countries that do have iTunes, and this could be a reason for a delay.

Q: Apple and Cisco came to an agreement about the iPhone trademark. Will this have any effect on your marketing strategy?
A: iPhone from Apple and iPhone from Cisco are two completely different devices. Cisco’s iPhones are meant for VOIP, for Skype, and look completely different. I think customers won’t be able to confuse the two. The fact that Apple and Cisco came to an amicable agreement so fast means that there’s no competition between these two products.

Q: Do you think other cell phone manufacturers could pose a threat to Apple while trying to create their own versions of the iPhone, for example the Chinese Meizu MiniOne?
A: Ever since Apple released the first Mac, many have been trying to copy the design or functions of Apple’s products. The iPhone is based on approximately 200 patents, on which the internal architecture and content is built. No matter how skilled are those that will try to copy the outside look of the iPhone, no one can perfectly clone this device. I am sure that people buying products that look like they were made by Apple understand that they’re buying a fake, for example like women that buy fake Louis Vuitton. Apple’s products don’t cost that much to warrant buying a fake.

Manufacturers of clones don’t present a big threat, rather they help make the original products more popular. In the case of iPhone, I think we will see a lot of attempts to release something similar. Just as an example: throughout 2005 and 2006 there have been many announcements of “iPod-killers”, most of which aren’t even on the market anymore.

Apple iPhone and Meizu MiniOne

Q: Do you believe the iPhone can make Apple a leader in the smartphones market?
A: Companies at the forefront of innovation process can’t sleep on their laurels. Steve Jobs announced that Apple expects to take 1% of the mobile phones market. It’s not a big number, but for Apple it’s an entry into an unknown market, dominated by powerful and active companies. We will see how the situation will develop in the next 1-1,5 years. When Apple released the iPod, not many could predict how it would all turn out. I believe that Apple is capable of inventing completely unexpected products.

 

Related posts:

1. Meizu MiniOne / M8 iPhone ripoff prototype photos leaked, Meizu M9 coming in 2009?
2. Meizu MiniOne iPhone Clone Out Of The Phone Game
3. BeeLine leading Apple iPhone distribution contract race in Russia: analyst
4. iPhone in Russia soon?
5. Late Night iPhone Reading - March 3 2007: Apple Should License iPhone Platform, Meizu Minione Clone Costs $310, Apple iPhone Costs $3,000?

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Filed Under: iPhone Interviews