Telstra have just announced that they will be selling the iPhone 3G from July 11 which is a massive surprise to most of the Apple / Telecommunications community as up until now there was no official announcement and to be honest not too much rumor too.
Not only have Telstra hit us with a right hook they have followed with a stunning left jab by releasing pricing too at the same time! Whammy!
From their press release:
iPhone 3G will be available from Telstra on July 11 with a range of specially designed Next G™ iPhone 3G plans that meet the needs of any customer. The Next G iPhone 3G plans start at $30 per month with an upfront cost of $279 for the 8GB model and $399 for the 16GB model.
Customers will receive the 8GB iPhone 3G model at no cost with the $80 plan and either the 8GB or the 16GB model at no cost with plans starting at $100 per month. All plans include free Wi-Fi access at Telstra hotspots and require a 24-month contract.
Customers can find further information and register their interest in iPhone 3G by visiting a nearby Telstra Shop, calling 1800iPhone or going to www.telstra.com/iphone.
The price seems about right (although further info as to what the plans consist of is needed) and free WiFi just sweetens the deal. Optus and Vodafone better deliver the goods sooner than later to counter such a surprise attack.
Fucking Telstra.
C’mon Stu. You said it yourself. More carriers, more competition, better rates. See that crazy Canuck’s cracking the shits… Don’t want that now do we.
I feel my exclusivity will soon be lost. The streets and trains will be taken over by uber nerds watching 3.5inch screens… I can’t believe I watched the whole Dexter Season 2 on that thing.
Yeah all exclusivity will be thrown out the window as every man and his dog will have an iPhone. It’s pretty depressing but I guess with the iPod it’ll just become a staple of everyday life.
You guys are friggen iphone snobs. Listen to you crap on about exclusivity, just because you own an iphone, it doesn’t make you any more popular or cool.
Lots of people may get the iPhone but from a historical context, it will have nowhere near the impact of the iPod.
The iPhone is not a revolutionary new product that changes the face of a new technology, its just another phone with web browsing abilities and a touch screen.
It may sell a lot of units but it won’t go down in history as the ‘must have’ of the naughties.
Mr Tre I really think you are wrong but only time will tell.
Time will tell. I still believe that while it will make Apple a shitload of money (and the phone networks as well, no doubt), and it will sell a lot of units, I just can’t see it as being so revolutionary that in 10 years time there will be an ‘iPhone index’.
The way I look at it is it needs to appeal to non-geeks. You nerds will lap it up like a fat kid on a cupcake but I just can’t see non-gearheads getting in to it the way they have with the iPod.
But, saying that, were can I get me some Apple shares?