Apple is not “abandoning” its exclusive carrier model anytime soon.


gallery1_20070621.png

I’ve read online in a few places, including Apple Insider, that Apple is “abandoning” its multiple carrier model once the 3G iPhone is released. It’s amazing to me the kind of blatant lies that can come out of the simplest bits of news.

It has been announced that that Vodafone is releasing the iPhone in 10 new countries. It is stated in the press release that the iPhone is intended to work on the Vodafone network when it is released. Shortly after the Vodafone announcement, rival Italian mobile provider Telecom Italia claimed that they too had “signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to Italy within the year.”

Now, until any of this is confirmed by Apple, we don’t know for sure that Telecom Italia even has an agreement. We know that hot off the heels of announcement that a rival has potentially crushing exclusive this company issued a one-line statement that could stave off customers jumping ship – but lets assume for a minute that everyone involved that claims to have an agreement with Apple does have an agreement with Apple.

Does the fact that two companies have the iPhone in Italy mean that Apple is “abandoning” its exclusive carrier model?

Absolutely not, and everyone that has written that statement knows it.

To say that Apple is abandoning this model is to suggest that it will no longer be exclusive with one carrier anywhere – and we have absolutely no indication of that being the case based on the information presented to us.

We know that the iPhone is sold unlocked in countries where it is illegal not to offer it, but that didn’t mean Apple had abandoned anything anymore than this does. If Apple is allowing the iPhone on more than one carrier in Italy it may be to help sagging sales in that market. The iPhone has not been nearly as successful overseas, partially because of the EDGE network, and they may feel it is necessary to go with more than one carrier in this area.

That doesn’t mean that T-Mobile in the US is going to be the iPhone anytime soon – and it doesn’t mean that the phone is going to be available with more than one carrier in any other countries either.

It’s jumping the gun, plain and simple. If you THINK they might abandon it – you MIGHT be right. It could happen. It’s a possibility – it is not, however, fact – and there is not enough information to prove that it is in any possible way.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

2 Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. What do you expect from writers who don’t have to verify facts, mimic one another and claim theirs is their gospel truth. Until now no one knows how much Apple is getting from AT&T. So it is easy for the public to view blogs with a pinch of salt, Another group who share this sentiments are the tech analysts namely Toni ‘iphone in the warehouse’ , Scott Moritz, Shaw Wu, etc.

  2. Yea I doubt they are throwing in the towel just yet on the exclusives, Canada will be and I’m sure AT&T will be as well. Also with AT&T knocking off $200 bucks on it, only way I can see that happening is if they break off the exclusive deal and let Apple sell it to other carriers at the normal price. Even if its non exclusive saving a couple hundred might be enough to keep customers coming back to AT&T.