iPhone exclusivity days over?

John Chan | Nov 09, 2009

You can pay the full price for an unlocked iPhone from Apple's Hong Kong online store.
(Credit: Apple)

With the iPhone 3GS of late, Apple has been shedding its one-operator-per-country model and working with multiple service providers in countries like Canada and Australia. Today in Singapore, StarHub announced it will be selling the coveted smartphone at the end of the year, making it a perfect three out of three network providers for the island-state.

Aside from giving customers more choice, we feel this arrangement makes perfect sense for Apple, too, as this will increase the reach of the iPhone. What we would really like to see is the option to purchase the device unlocked directly from Apple. Already, the company is doing this through its Australia and Hong Kong online stores--a great option for those who don't mind paying the full price so they don't have to get locked to operator tariff agreements. But is it all positive? Are there any advantages of exclusive operator availability deals that you will miss? Let us know what you think.

Filed under: Mobile Phones
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DaremoS

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DaremoS says...
Then the small country where I live have some sort of luck concerning this "one supplier per country" Apple's politic.
In Chile, we have two companies fighting for the market offering iPhone. These companies are Claro and Movistar.
Anyway results haven't been so succesful for them as we have another more dinamic competitor winning the market share, no iPhone offered.

Nov 09, 2009 20:31

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aweysham

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aweysham says...
I like choice. I like to choose my phone and my provider. Also I like to choose where I buy the extras for my device whether it be a phone, PDA or computer. I don't like being locked in to one provider of software or whatever. If its a phone it has to be unlocked.
Freedom of choice!!

Nov 09, 2009 23:21

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cynexis

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cynexis says...
It is all these exclusive deals which Apple is doing that is going to make Android a success. I hope other vendors like Samsung and Sony Ericsson quickly roll out their Android powered phones as we are sick of these stupid marketing gimmicks.

Nov 09, 2009 23:43

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