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lol .. check out of the video the launch at Yonge and Dundas this morning:
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/458592
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iPhone launch in Canada could lead to change in data rates
Today's launch of Apple's coveted iPhone has been highly anticipated, with all the news coverage amid a public backlash against Rogers Wireless.
iPhone 3G
Customers have complained about being fleeced, while industry analysts universally pan the "Big 3"carriers' rates as being the highest of the world's developed countries. There was hope that the iPhone would be the one handset to turn the tide on data rates in Canada. After all, that could lead to a huge spike in adoption throughout the country, which in itself might lead to lower prices.
The disgust shown by Canadians shook Rogers enough to offer a "limited time offer" data plan that would give you 6 GB for $30/month. That's a full $70/month lower than what Rogers was originally planning to offer. The catch, of course, is that you'd have to sign up before August 31 and stay locked in for three years. If you miss out, here's a look at Rogers plans.
Cost certainty
But Rogers hasn't won everyone's trust just yet. Some public forums and message boards have postings suggesting that Rogers will simply raise the rates once everyone is locked in to the new offer. A Rogers spokesperson assured me that wasn't going to happen, largely because there are no real strings attached to the promotion. It will be $30/month for the duration of the contract.
Now, that doesn't mean the rates can't go up at any point during those three years. If they do, it would probably be an incremental increase, like $5-$10 rather than a full-blown cash grab up to $100/month. Or the rates might just stay put. If you've been through a contract with a carrier before, try to remember if you had to deal with any price increases. I'm sure some of you have voice plans that go as far back as 2002-03, when talk time was cheaper than it is now. Because this new data plan is specifically only for data, it would be possible to keep the old voice plan and just tack on the data to the final cost.
The cost of the iPhone itself is $199 for the 8 GB model and $299 for the 16 GB model. All of the pricing and plans Rogers offers are equally available to Fido users as well. In fact, Fido users have one advantage over their Rogers counterparts - they can use whatever "Fido Dollars" they've amassed to help offset the cost of the phone.
Another residual effect of this whole promotion is that customers looking for another 3G smartphone will be eligible for it as well. The $30/month data plan will also be an option for the Samsung Jack, Motorola Q9, Nokia N95, Palm Treo 750, HTC TyTN and the upcoming BlackBerry Bold.
Stuck in contracts
There's also some trepidation about how some customers might miss out on the promotion because they're already locked up with another contract. Rogers has said that anyone who falls into that category should call the company to see what kind of eligibility they have.
When opting out of a contract, the customer is usually slapped with extra costs to cancel it. It's usually a flat fee of $200 or $20 for each month you have left, whichever of the two is lower. But there are "eligibility windows" that would allow you to basically replace one contract with another. You would just have to call Rogers or Fido to find out where you fit in.
More question marks
It's common knowledge that any Apple Store locations in Canada won't be selling the iPhone. I tried to find out whether or not iPhone owners can bring them in to the company stores for servicing, but as of this writing there had been no response from Apple Canada.
Rogers has been fairly mum on the subject as well, only saying that "the manufacturer (Apple) would be the best to answer those questions". Soon enough, we'll know what the story is there.
And for those who want to buy one for themselves, and another for a friend - well, unless you're on a couples plan or sharing some kind of monthly plan, you'll be flying solo on this one. Rogers and Fido are stipulating that any iPhone purchase has to come with an activation, meaning that you can't buy it as a standalone item. That should make the already long lineups even more interesting.
Times are a changin' for data rates
This day may go down as the beginning of a new era for data rates in this country. Rogers and Apple have naturally stayed very quiet on that issue, but the public pressure did show that Rogers could be flexible when painted into a corner.
Part of the allure of the iPhone goes beyond its iconic status. This new 3G iPhone will do a lot to fuse two different worlds - the business types who need to stay connected for work - and the data-hungry consumers who want to be able to really explore the bevy of content available through mobile portals.
Increased adoption of data will likely mean an increased demand for services and content. Couple that with the onset of potential new players in Canada's wireless landscape in the next two years, and you have conditions ripe for real competition on data usage.
Compatibility will be a big one with the 3G iPhone. That fusion I mentioned will be on full display when executives can just as easily get full Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support, while everyday consumers will love being able to sync back and forth with their Mac or PC.
In the end, the buzz around this launch was expected. But it's what will happen long-term from here that will confirm whether or not this day was the beginning of something new.
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source:
http://www.pcworld.ca/news/column/1...5b92950/pg1.htm
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New 3G iPhone costs $173 to make, according to iSuppli
The mystery behind why the new iPhone is so cheap may be solved, with market researcher iSuppli saying it costs just US$173 to make.
Apple caused a stir earlier this month when it launched the new 3G (third generation mobile telecommunications) iPhone with a $199 price tag. Similar products from rivals cost much more. Taiwan's High Tech Computer (HTC), for example, has priced the Touch Diamond at NT$23,900 (US$785) for its home market, while Nokia estimates its new N96 smartphone will retail for 550 Euros (US$855).
All three handsets are due on store shelves soon.
There are two main reasons Apple can charge so little for the new iPhone, iSuppli said Tuesday. First, mobile phone service providers will subsidize the handsets by paying Apple about US$300 per unit, iSuppli estimates. The other reason is the low cost of materials going into the handset.
Apple did such a good job choosing components for the new 3G iPhone that it costs less to make than the old version, despite significant improvements, iSuppli said. The old iPhone cost $226 to make and did not include 3G nor GPS (global positioning system). Yet Apple sold the original iPhone for $499 initially.
The most expensive component on the 3G iPhone is the 8G bytes of NAND flash memory storage, at $22.80, followed by the touchscreen at $20, iSuppli estimates.
In all, the chips and other components in the handset add up to $164, and then iSuppli estimates Apple is paying another $9 for assembly of the device, for a total of $173.
Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, is making the new iPhone at factories in China.
The market researcher calls its estimate a preliminary one based on a "virtual teardown" of the new iPhone. The estimate is based on information available about the new handset. Once the 3G iPhone is on the market, iSuppli plans to open one up to figure out the make and model of each component inside, to more exactly determine the cost of the handset.
The initial estimate also does not include the cost of software development, shipping, distribution, packaging and accessories included with each iPhone.
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source:
http://www.pcworld.ca/news/article/...6662c7e/pg1.htm
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Palm Trees > Pine Trees , Sand > Snow
Last edited by dEsidEL on Jul-11-2008 at 18:55
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