Apple's simplicity can make things complicated
Just about everyone in the world has submitted to Apple's whims when it comes to the iPhone ... but the world's biggest market has turned out to be a bit of a trick.
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Apple vs. China Mobile
It would be nice if China Mobile would play nice with Apple like every other carrier in the world did (except Verizon Wireless, of course). But monopoly's have power, and China Mobile resembles that remark. Perhaps China Mobile needs to be educated about the story of Verizon Wireless. For Apple, there are always options if the first choice isn't willing to play nice.Apple could court another carrier and give it something to foster some good old fashioned competition with. After all, AT&T was struggling against Verizon Wireless before iPhone, but today, by all accounts, AT&T has vaulted into the lead with the sheer number of subscribers.
Also, Apple has a tremendously large cash hoard. They could enter the mobile arena in China by acquiring a competitor, or even acquiring China Mobile itself. There is more than one way to skin this cat.
Did Apple ever seriously
Did Apple ever seriously consider going with Verizon? My understanding is that it was only ever interested in going with GSM/UMTS carriers, which Verizon is not, precisely for that whole uniformity reason again -- GSM/UMTS is the dominant tech everywhere but North America, and Apple didn't really feel any need to build a CDMA/EV-DO version of the iPhone just to play on Verizon's network.There are other carriers in China, too, though none have the reach of China Mobile.
Verizon and Apple
What you say makes sense. I don't know why Apple would have approached Verizon from a logistical standpoint, other than that they were the largest US carrier at the time.But I do have an article here from USA Today that quotes Verizon leadership as saying Verizon balked at Apple's terms and that they could not reach an agreement. The article then states that Apple moved on and signed a deal with then Singular. I loved the part in the article where Verizon was upset by the idea Apple would have exclusive decision making authority when an iPhone goes haywire to repair or replace the unit. Verizon's feathers were ruffled that it would almost seem to make the carrier take a back seat to the device, which ironically is exactly how I view my iPhone/Carrier relationship today.
Read the article below:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-01-28-verizon-iphone_x.htm
(1) China doesn't allow
(1) China doesn't allow major industries to be foreign owned. It doesn't matter how much money you have, you can't buy a wireless carrier in China.(2) Everything Verizon said in that article turned out to be correct --- (a) revenue sharing was a bust, (b) independent AT&T agents are angry that they can't still sell the iphone, and (c) many 3G iphone carriers around the world are handling iphone support and repairs instead of Apple.
(3) The rest of the world should learn from Verizon --- they said no to Apple and survives. Out of the 18 months since the iphone was launched in the US, AT&T Wireless has only beaten Verizon Wireless in retail postpaid net subscriber additions in ONE quarter.
Apple has other options in China
China Mobile has made no secret of their intent to build their own app store and promote their own value added services (VAS) platform (Monternet), their wireless music services platform (www.12530.com) and their brand new Web 2.0 platform - similar to MobileMe. China Mobile made 27% of their revenue in 2008 through their VAS and they don’t want any leakage to Apple. China Mobile has also paid Topssion and Accenture plenty of yuan to work on customization plans for TD-SCDMA handsets and perhaps to feed them news they want to hear … “you can build your own app store just like Apple … and here’s how can we help.”It is possible that China Mobile pushed too hard in an effort get Apple to strip down the iPhone (no WiFi, no App Store, no iTunes, etc.) in favor of China Mobile’s own VAS. If the reports are true Apple said “No!” I don't blame them.
There have been several reports coming from China stating that China Unicom and Apple have come to terms on an iPhone deal. Another clue ... Apple has very recently posted new positions in China, including a RF Test Engineer and a PR Manager to be located in Beijing.
China Unicom in many ways is a better fit for Apple. The combined Unicom/Netcom have 140 million wireless subscribers. Most critically, China Unicom has been granted a W-CDMA 3G license and will have major cities up and running on a "world standard" W-CDMA 3G network by May 17, 2009 (target launch). The current iPhone 3G already supports W-CDMA. China Mobile has the "indigenously innovated" and unproven "Spruce Goose" TD-SCDMA 3G and they are rushing TD-LTE 4G as fast (and quietly) as they can before they lose too many subscribers to China Unicom.
China Unicom also wants to push their own VAS but they are eager to steal away customers from the dominant China Mobile and may be open to “less” iPhone crippling.
If China Unicom follows China Mobile's modus operandi and insists on over customization of iPhone (dumbing down iPhone in favor of their own VAS), Apple may roll in China sans a formal carrier deal. To that end there were rumors (denied) that Hon Hai (Foxconn) would distribute iPhone in China. Hon Hai has plenty of storefronts. Going w/o a carrier deal in China has plenty of risks and no carrier subsidy payment ... Better if Apple, China Unicom and Hon Hai all team up. And I think they will.
Despite the apparent broken romance with China Mobile, Apple has a cogent China roadmap and an encouraging new love interest (China Unicom). Late May or early June may be the timeframe for official announcements in China.
More >
http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/02/09/china-mobile-crippling-phones-because-they-can/
http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/more-rumors-of-serious-talks-between-apple-and-china-unicom/
http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/rumor-china-unicom-to-start-selling-the-iphone-nano/
http://idannyb.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/china-mobile-talking-with-accenture-to-assist-with-td-handset-acceptance/
Where did you get your info from?
I hate it when people think they are smart and come up with out dated facts. Verizon has the largest number of subscribers in the US by FAR, more than 5 million I believe.Get your facts straight.
Bill.
Apple buying China Mobile
"Also, Apple has a tremendously large cash hoard. They could enter the mobile arena in China by acquiring a competitor, or even acquiring China Mobile itself. There is more than one way to skin this cat.by Steve Mage"
Are you on drugs!? Apple has nowhere near the ability to buy China Mobile. Have you run the numbers or are you just stupid?
Apple simplicity
Brave man, clear talk in APPLE language!Complicating a wet dream
It's only complicated to people who like to overcomplicate their lives. I like the simple product line. It makes it very easy to choose. If the current model is the only one available through official channels, who cares? At least I know I'm getting the latest and greatest when I buy one. What's the problem?Your point does not make sense...
As a non-technical user of Apple products the method used for distributing applications is perfect.I don't have to look in 50 different locations for products, I can go to one portal and find what I want and need.
What is different than Wal-Mart creating a super store or a "portal" for commonly purchased items...Nothing
What most of the technical IT community forgets is that the normal user base does not like spending hours trying to figure out how to make something work. People want simplicity...Apple provides that. This is not the case with most other hardware and software vendors out in the market.
Plus...if you don't like it. Don't buy it. Go purchase something else.
婚活
体重が気になりだしたので、マイクロダイエットを始めた。 旅行が好きな私は初めてのハワイに海外旅行に行く予です。 結婚を焦りはじめたので結婚相談所に登録に行きます。 就職活動する上で資格が必要と思い国家資格を合格するために専門学校に行きます。 ETCを車に取り付けが終わったのでETCカードを申し込みました。結婚相手を真剣に探すためアラサー お見合いパーティーに参加した。