iPhone in Canada after Europe?

Posted by dennis on September 16th, 2007 at 09:52pm Comments

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Rogers Communications Inc., the only provider in Canada that has appropriate mobile standards to support the iPhone, said that there is going to be a delay in its launch.

Forbes quotes Nadir Mohamed, Rogers Chief Operating Officer, as saying that the company would ‘love to sell‘ the device, however Rogers has not yet set a release date for it.

And while it would have been a huge boost for Rogers, especially in the upcoming holiday “Christmas rush” season, it seems like Canadian launch might be even after iPhone’s European launch. It appears that Apple prioritized the European launch since its market is *at least five times bigger than Canadian market.

Rogers spokeswoman said that there are no current discussions with Apple, and she didn’t comment on whether Apple has set a release date.

Earlier Rogers Director of Corporate Communications Elizabeth Hamilton confirmed to iPhone World that Rogers will launch the iPhone in Canada. Although similarly she had no further comments to make, nor an exact release date to name.

Some speculations circulating around are that Apple is looking for Rogers to lower its dataplan rates (although this was excplicitly denied by Mrs Hamilton), while another popular version is that Canada might have to wait until a 3G compatible iPhone v2.0 will appear on the market.

In the meantime, while Canadians are driving (or flying) over the American border, many of them stop by AT&T and Apple stores in order to get and subsequently unlock the iPhone, while several Canadian based online stores are selling unlocked iPhones with guaranteed fast shipment from Canada at only slightly exaggerated prices. Both of these factors might have a bad influence on official iPhone sales in Canada, once it’s officially launched here (with a contract).

*iPhone will be launched by year’s end in major European territories, with O2 in UK, Orange in France, T-Mobile in Germany, and Telefonica of Spain being the favorites for European iPhone distribution rights, according to industry insiders.

By: Dennis Sloutsky and David Geguzinskis for iPhoneWorld.ca.
Forbes contributed to this report.

Related posts:

1. iPhone in 2007 in major European countries, in v2.0 in Canada?
2. Rumor Bin Garbage: iPhone out in Canada today!
3. Apple confirms American iPhone launch in June 2007, what about Canada?
4. iPhone is out in Canada!
5. iPhone confirmed for Rogers Wireless in Canada. Again.

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Filed Under: Apple News+ News+ iPhone Canada+ iPhone Europe+ iPhone Rogers

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