iPhone heading for multiple Australian carriers?

By Stephen Withers
Thursday, 01 May 2008 12:39

Mobility

All sorts of rumours and reports based on 'insider' information have been floating around about the arrival of the iPhone in Australia. The latest tips a non-exclusive arrangement with Optus.

Every major carrier in Australia - Telstra, 3, Vodafone and Optus - has been linked with the iPhone since the device was first announced. But a report today from Cnet.com.au claims it has "confirmed... that Optus will be one of several Australian mobile service providers to be selling Apple's iPhone".

Curiously, the report claims that an announcement will be made mid-month, a few weeks ahead of the supposed debut of the 3G iPhone at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference.

While I was initially sceptical that last month's iPhone price cut in Germany was a signal that a new model was imminent, it was followed by a price reduction in the UK that spurred further speculation and I'm now coming around. Apart from anything else, it's not completely obvious that Apple would reach its 10 million unit target this year even with the addition of Canada.

And talking of Canada, some observers have suggested that Rogers has got the gig because it's the only operator there with an EDGE network. Possibly, but the arrival of the iPhone in Canada isn't scheduled until sometime in the second half of the year. That's after the expected appearance of the 3G iPhone, and guess what? Rogers also has a 3G network.

Reports from other parts of the world suggest Apple may be moving away from its one-carrier-per-country practice. Late last month a non-exclusive deal was tipped for Italy, and now there are reports that Apple will be taking that track in Latin America.

So maybe Australians will be able to spend their tax refunds on a shiny new 3G iPhone - without having to change mobile carriers or resorting to unofficial unlocking.