Slowly, but surely, the (legitimate) iPhone launch is making its way to Asia. Apple has recently partnered with O2 in the UK to be exclusive telco to distribute the iPhone. The added perk with this partnership is that the iPhone will have unlimited access to the Cloud partner hotspots around the UK.
So now I ask the big question: when the iPhone comes to the Philippines in January (according to industry rumor), which local telco will Apple partner with? With the three choices of Globe, SMART and SUN Cellular, the apparent choice may actually be the first two because of better EDGE networks compared to SUN Cellular. Not that it matters. You will be able to unlock the phone afterwards anyway. I’m more curious about the additional perks that could theoretically be offered - Globe bundling free GlobeQuest accounts for WiFi use while SMART doing their own thing with Airborne Access. Oh, the monopolies!
The advantage of buying the iPhone with a plan from a telco will mean subsidized rates - making the consumer eligible for the price drop. Note that the $200 drop only applies for buying the iPhone with a new subscription. I guess the alternative would be to hop on over to Greenhills and buy the unlocked iPhone for a higher markup.
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Apple will partner with Smart, and with SingTel in Singapore. Globe with ride with SingTel. Just like BlackBerry. Everybody wins! (except Sun subscribers, oops)
Heard from someone that it looks to be like Globe is the carrier that will get it. Although, that’s not certain. Until a Mr. S. Jobs says anything, we’re not sure.
Personally I think the company that can give them the most EDGE coverage and the unlimited data plan will win out.
That’s a thought - will the iPhone encourage the operator to give unlimited data plans, even to non-iPhone users?
I was told that Globe will be carrying it by the end of the year.
I honestly doubt the iPhone will ever reach our shores; they don’t even have official Apple stores here yet. They wouldn’t want to leave all the post-sales support to the “official distributors”, that’s just very un-Apple-esque, and the fact that both Smart and Globe post-sales are nightmares in their own regard but nightmares altogether - I rest my case.