14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is so confident of the iPhone's success that it is already thinking of expanding the market. They are considering Europe and that comes only natural, as their new mobile phone has a large number of fans there too.
Apple plans on offering a slightly different iPhone for the European market. This version will be a 3G enabled one, as EDGE technology proved to have quite poor performances in the past.
Studies have shown that one of the main problems which are expected to considerably limit the success of the iPhone is the carrier. Apple now has a chance to better choose the network which will bring the iPhone on the European market too. It has been long rumored that they had Vodafone in mind.
Apple and Vodafone have finally managed to reach an agreement equally suitable for both companies. For the US launch, they had considered first of all Verizon as the best company to carry the iPhone. Negotiations had stretched over two years, but they were eventually dropped, as they failed in coming to a settlement.
Still, the European version of the iPhone will come as a result of a joint agreement between Apple and Vodafone, T-Mobile of Germany and Carphone Warehouse. This will make sure that this smartphone will reach as many European countries as possible.
The same thing seems to happen at this time too, as Apple has demanded a guaranteed sales volume for their new cell phone. This seems to have been more than what Vodafone was willing to compromise, as they refused to do so at first.
The main reason for their refusal is that they plan on bringing the iPhone as part of a special offer. A control over the price that this smartphone will come at would be most inconvenient for the British company and this has made them quite reluctant.