(7 votes, average: 6.43 out of 10)
Loading ...Apple iPhone finally coming to Canada
One source from the financial services industry has informed me that Rogers has finally worked out a deal with Apple Canada and yes the much heralded iPhone will be made available to Canadians later on this year.
In typical Rogers and Apple Canada fashion there is no timeline announced and there are no more details about the launch.
The source added that Apple Canada believes this will have Research in Motion shaking in its boots. I found that comment to be ludicrous because, while I can accept that Apple Canada and its customers are excited about the iPhone coming to Canada, the braintrust at RIM are not the sort of people to panic.
Lets not forget that they dominate the market here in Canada and in the U.S. The iPhone has been in the U.S. over two calendar years and it has not be able to displace or come near the Blackberry’s sales performance. According to Gartner Research, the iPhone is at 19 per cent of the market in the U.S., while RIM is at 34 plus per cent. Even the “Other” category beats iPhone by two per cent.
So lets put this expected announcement into perspective here. I am sure the iPhone will cause quite a stirr in Canada when it is made available to customers at Apple stores in Canada. I am sure there will be line ups filled with people who have drank the Apple cool-aid in all the Apple store locations across Canada. I am also sure that Rogers will do some bumper business selling iPhones.
But, even with all that hype and momentum the iPhone will not overtake RIM in sales.
The blackberry is a standard in most corporations. Several channel players and ISVs have created applications for the Blackberry. IBM and Sage are just two major vendors who have developed applications for the Blackberry specifically.
Right now RIM has the momentum in Canada because of Rogers and Apple Canada dragging its feet with the iPhone release.
What should scare RIM is not so much what Apple does but what the new employees entering the workforce may do. These people are part of the Web 2.0 generation and they will not settle for corporate policy. This upcoming generation will demand to choice and they may choose the iPhone, which might give Apple an edge.
I still see it as an uphill climb for Apple, but for today this has to be positive news for the Canadian subsidiary who must have felt like the ignored step-child at Apple for the past two years. Speaking of ignored step-children, I would be interested to know any plans Apple Canada has for its loyal Mac dealers in this country concerning the iPhone. As always when it comes to Apple we will have to wait for that news.
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April 29th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Roger’s had the opportunity to release this last year. They’re dragging their collective butts, coupled with the fact that Apple is going to be releasing a 3G (Hello Telus and Bell) version very soon is what’s pushing Roger’s to get off their duff.
April 29th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I think what might have RIM a little worried is the upcoming capability of the iPhone to connect to and sync with Microsoft Exchange Servers for email, something RIM already leverages. This single feature makes the iPhone a bigger player in the corporate market, RIMS playground.
April 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
“The iPhone has been in the U.S. for nearly two years and it has not be able to displace or come near the Blackberry’s sales performance.”
It’s been exactly 10 months, today!
April 29th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Blackerry is great for email and calendaring stuff. Everything else is feeble. Web browser is almost useless. For the corporate world, we have to run Blackberry Enterprise Server which adds costs and complexity (and isnt bullet proof). The iPhone with 2.0 software will negate that completely and will provide a superior web browser capability which allows companies to use SaaS apps like Salesforce.com much better. Go watch the Apple iPhone 2.0 video on their website to understand what’s coming.
April 29th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Will Canadians get the upcoming 3G iPhone or will be treated as a dumping ground for the Edge based iPhones? Ask Canadian who bought a Tivo recently about getting two year old technology.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
While Rogers & Apple have been wasting time, New technologies like home home videophone have quitely had a chance to startup. We got 1 at http://www.getvideophone.com & replaced our home phone. We can see and talk to our grandchildren.
May 9th, 2008 at 3:56 am
What a poor piece of journalism this is - even if it is an op-ed.
RIM has been shipping the Blackberry for close to 10 years. In 10 months - Apple went and took 19% marketshare vs. 34% for RIM.
When Apple releases a 3G iPhone and some of that 100 million worth of venture capital gets spent on developing new apps for the iPhone - watch out RIM (and everyone else in the cell phone industry).
As usual, it takes an innovator like Apple to throw a disruptive piece of technology into the mix. It will be interesting to see what develops, but this is Apple’s war to lose. It will be all about execution of the strategy and meshing with developers. The SDK has been downloaded hundred of thousands of time.
RIM - you should be afraid - veeery afraid.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
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