I keep asking myself everyday...why is the iPhone not available in Canada yet? or when will the iPhone be in Canada? There has been tons of speculation, rumors, thoughts etc. on why it is not available in Canada yet.
The first thought is that Rogers is greedy and doesn't want to offer such a fabulous device which would require them to offer unlimited data to users. If they had to offer unlimited data on a pda or smartphone, whatever you want to call it, then why would they do the same for their other phones like blackberry's or windows mobile phones. I guess that is a good argument for them, however, AT&T has seen a large increase in data revenues since they released the iPhone. So it's not such a great argument anymore. There has to be more it that they don't want to offer unlimited data plans. But if you look into it some more, why is the Nokia N95 not available on Rogers then? We are still waiting to find out what kind of data plan the LG Vu will get too once available from Rogers.
The next factor which is delaying the iPhone from being available in Canada is the fact that comwave has trademarked the word 'iPhone' in Canada. Here are my thoughts on comwave. To me they seem like an internet domain registrar who snaps up all decent domain names in hopes of selling them back to the rightful person who should be using that name. If you go to iphone.com, it takes to to apple's official iPhone page. If you go to iphone.ca, there is no page as the name is owned by some domain name hosting company. The same is true with Comwave. Once the iPod was released and became enormously popular, companies started puting a 'i' in front of random product names in hopes to generate buzz and free marketing off apple's success. This is exactly what Comwave is doing and I think they need to give up the word 'iPhone' immediately. Comwave does have an iPhone home VOIP service and even an iPhone mobile VOIP service. Their iPhone looks a little more like those old Nokia cell phones everyone had 10 years ago. Sadly, it will product take a million bucks or more from apple to get them to give it up. More info on the dispute here.
The latest trend from Apple seems to be that they may be leaning away from signing exclusive contracts with cell carriers. This is what we have learned from the rumors about the iPhone being released in Italy. That also seems to be what will happen if the iPhone is released in China. I don't think Apple will be able to reach their goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year if they hold all providers to exclusive contracts.
So where does this leave us? Nowhere really. There is no new news or facts that suggest the iPhone is coming to Canada anytime soon. So what is the real cause of the delay? I don't really know. It's probably a combination of all factors. If Apple really wanted to release the iPhone in Canada ASAP, they would have paid out Comwave a long time ago. Rogers doesn't seem to be totally on board, especially when their senior executives say 'we're not fans of unlimited plans'. We'll see what happens if an when the 3G iPhone is released. Maybe that is what Rogers is waiting for.
The Toronto Star put an article out recently on the whole situation on the iPhone coming to Canada. What did it feature? Not much of anything, just more stuff we have heard already. They seems to say that the iPhone could be coming to Canada sooner than later but it just doesn't seem likely right now. I hope I am wrong.
If you still don't have one, I wouldn't wait.
Subscribe to our feed
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Probable cause of the delay for the iPhone in Canada
Posted by ruffdeezy at 5:12 PM
Labels: Articles, iPhone Canada, iPhone Rogers, News, Thoughts
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
I was at the best buy store a couple of weeks ago and someone was looking at the ipod touch. I overheard the sales person there comment about iphones coming to Canada. Where are all these rumours coming from? Everyone I know that has wanted an iphone will just get it from the states. Don't bother waiting for it to come to Canada.
Not sure where the rumors are coming from. I don't think the best buy salesman has any inside info. Yeah there is no point waiting, it doesn't look like it will be here anytime soon.
People like to start rumors, people like to spread rumors. The rumors started as early as after Steve Jobs announced the iPhone in January 07. The rumor then was that the iPhone would launch in both the US and CAN in June. So this is nothing new. Perhaps rumors are even being constantly floated by Rogers, in order to keep people on the hook from buying an iPhone- but clearly this has not worked for the tens of thousands of iPhone users already enjoying in Canada.
It did work for me however. I followed the rumors and was nervous about the earlier unlock procedures. So I waited. And waited... And so there I was after Macworld this January deciding that I would definitely buy myself an iPhone for my birthday in May. There was still no possibility of a resolution with Rogers on the horizon, and the unlocking procedures had gotten downright academic. Then the SDK even happened and the rumors of the 2nd Generation iPhone coming out in June or July. So it only makes sense for me to wait and buy in at the start of a new product cycle- whether it's officially launched by Rogers or not.
That would be the only reason to wait IMO.
You make a good point. Exactly why I waited to buy an iMac (new versions supossed to come out tuesday). It makes sense now to wait and see what happens in June. I think they will just be announcing it and not releasing it. Buying it in Jan/Feb/March of this year would be ok. However, you will be able to get the sdk firmware on all iphones. Will you be able to use the 3G features in Canada? not sure.
>> This is exactly what Comwave is
>> doing and I think they need to
>> give up the word 'iPhone'
>> immediately.
Why? It's not like they're a domain squatter - they have a REAL iPhone product, and have had it since long before Apple announced it's own.
The trend to name products iThis and iThat started a decade before Apple's iPhone - anyone could tell them that something as utterly obvious as "iPhone" would be (and was) already taken in several countries.
If some small company tried to use a word copyrighted by Apple, no matter how obscure, you can be absolutely certain that Apple would sue. Apple deserves no sympathy whatsoever in this case.
- Roger Strong
The 3G is actually the feature I'm least interested in, since here in Canada data is going to cost you an arm and a leg whether it's 3G or EDGE- so unless Rogers announces an iPhone specific (and reasonable) data plan with the iPhone itself, it would make no difference. I'd just use WiFi.
I'm hoping there are some additional hardware enhancements that will make buying the 2nd Gen iPhone worthwhile: GPS, a front facing camera for video iChat, and perhaps a bump to 32gb. Those are the features I'm more interested in.
Roger, you make a great point, I guess they aren't really like that. But Comwave's applied for trademark protection in 2004, so it seems like they were using the 'i' this and that for some kind of brand recognition or something - which isn't such a bad idea. I guess I am just biased since I am dying to have a legit iPhone in Canada so I can use a proper data plan.
Yeah the 3G is exciting but more features would be great, video iChat would be awesome, especially if it runs smooth over the 3G connection or wifi. I think it would be terrible over edge. A real GPS would be fantastic too. If they can make a 160gb iPod, they can give us more room on the iPhone.
to the other "annonymous":
Regardless of Comwave actually having a product to sell under the iPhone name; no company that has come out with an iProduct since 2001 can honestly be said to be trying to carve out their own distinct brand identity in the market. It's obvious that they're only looking to cash in on the perceived brand value that the Apple's iPod created.
As for any iNames that proceed the iPod, I'm not familiar with any, but I can't say for sure. Can you provide a link?
The Comwave iPhone definitely came after the iPod.
Post a Comment