Apple seems to be softening up on its one-provider-fits-all policy for the iPhone in other parts of the world.
Recent announcements reveal that yes, it is now possible to have different providers sell the iPhone in the same markets, particularly in Europe. For example, Deutsche Telecom has had the exclusive right to distribute the iPhone in Austria, but now Orange is getting in on the action there as well. In Italy, Vodafone and Telecom Italia are now both distributing the iPhone, while in Egypt and Portugal, Vodafone and Orange both have their fingers in the Apple pie.
In the US, the five-year exclusivity contract between Apple and AT&T apparently still stands, but T-Mobile USA has recently started providing wifi service in Starbucks cafes alongside AT&T. Hmm.
In the Doodler’s home country, it was recently announced that Globe, one of the two dominant telecom providers along with Smart, will be releasing the iPhone in the Philippines this year through its partnership with Singapore Telecommunications, which has acquired the rights from Apple for the region.
So it isn’t impossible to see a Smart iPhone in the future as well, after all.
Well, as we say here in my country, the more, the many-er.
[Source: http://blogs.inquirer.net/macadoodle/2008/05/16/iphone-in-the-philippines-hope-for-smart/]
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