“Singapore’s third-largest telecommunications company MobileOne Ltd., or M1, “is in discussions with Apple Inc. to bring the iPhone to Asia,” The Associated Press reports.
“Apple launched the iPhone in Europe this past Friday and in the U.S. earlier this year. The Asian launch has been set for next year. Apple is hoping to sell 10 million of the phones in 2008,” AP reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Mike in Helsinki” for the heads up.]
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All this talk of Asia is just great (for them) when is the iPhone coming to Denmark??? or Canada!!??
“We’ve learned and struggled for a few years here figuring out how to make a decent phone,” he said. “PC guys are not going to just figure this out. They’re not going to just walk in.”
Well, I can’t speak for Denmark, but as for Canada, I’m pretty sure that Steve Jobs is serious about reasonably priced plans to go with the iPhone. Ted Rogers, on the other hand, thinks he can make a lot more money raping customers than by allowing them reasonable plans on an iPhone. Since Ted has the only GSM network in the country, he is under no pressure to try it Steve’s way.
Personally, I think that if he came out with the iPhone and a US style plan, Telus and Bell would be folding their wireless tents after a year. However, Ted is the gazzillionaire, and I got nuthin’.
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but Singapore is a city-state with the population of about five million people. How many iPhones are expected to be sold there?
There are places on this planet that have much greater size of the potential market than Singapore. Is there a special reason why Apple is even entertaining the idea before cracking much larger nuts (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand…)?
Is “bringing the iPhone to Asia” synonymous with the concept of only bringing the iPhone to Singapore?
Could M1 bring the phone to all of Asia? Or are they only capable of bringing it to Singapore?
I’m not sure how the markets are segmented in that part of the world.
Anyone?
“Hello, Apple, we’ve changed our minds…..hello? hello? hello?”
…”The party you are trying to reach is unavailable right now. Please be assured that Apple will get back to you as soon as they finish negotiating deals in China, India, Singapore, and the rest of Asia. Your country has been placed in alphabetical order and rest assured Mr Rogers, Apple will consider your revised proposal before any proposal from Denmark…”
Allow me to explain reasons why Apple chose Singapore to launch the iPhone in Asia.
1) Market Penetration – Singapore has a >90% mobile phone penetration rate. That is nearly 4 million users, many of which are eager to lap up the latest phone models.
2) Tradition – Singapore has since the 1980s handled distribution for Apple products throughout South-East Asia – including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand like Predrag mentioned.
3) The island is well-covered and serves as a great risk-free test bed. Search “sg” on Google Maps if you want to see the size of the place – the country is no larger than a typical city. It makes sense to send it to Singapore as a springboard for the immediate region. Besides, no point launching it in regions where production capacity would be immediately pulverized by explosive demand which would deprive phones for other markets during the end-of-year shopping season.
I can’t be sure all of the above are accurate – feel free to correct me if I’m wrong in any way! Hope this sheds some light!
If you release the iPhone in Singapore, it will make it everywhere in SE Asia. It is the technology gateway.
I wonder how well covered Singapore is with wi-fi.
Predrag and others: Part of the problem is compatible technology. Places like Japan are not GSM, and at this moment, the only version of the iPhone that exists is GSM. While CDMA iPhones will probably exist in the future, that is at least a year or more away.
I fully agree with fromAsia.
Singapore is very a small island but with people (locals as well as foreigners) who are really into technology. Tech penetration is very high compared to even her much bigger neighbours.
Mobile phone signal coverage by the three main players (SingTel/Starhub/M1) are generally very good and dropped calls/signals are quite a rarity. Although personally i’m hoping Starhub gets the deal, SingTel being the largest may have an advantage (i believe they also have substantial investments in telecoms companies in other Asian countries). There have been rumours that all three are trying to snag the deal though. Having said that, i’ll switch providers in a heartbeat if need be!
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[@ LorD 1776] Wi-Fi coverage (free and paid) can be found in many areas in the residential estates, in town and the CBD. There is also a govt/pte program called Wireless@SG that provides free Wi-Fi at many locations/zones around the island.
Considered the gateway to South-East Asia by many, it’d the ideal place to launch the iPhone here before spreading out to other countries in the region. But of course, it may also be because i live here and want an iPhone so bad.
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Singapor china – When will it come to India – Pls sign with Reliance (Ambani is now the richest man in the world)
Which telcos in Singapore you think that the iPhone will be tied to? SingTel? M1? or Starhub?
Why do you think the telco will get the iPhone?