UPDATE: Engadget is reporting micro-USB vs. the BBC’s mini-USB. Also, that Apple, among others, is backing the standard.
ORIGINAL: We’ve discussed this before, but now it looks like Europe has gone ahead and done it. Mini-USB is going to be the “one size fits all” universal charging standard for phones. The caveat:
The deal isn’t legally binding though and, at this stage, is only voluntary.
Translation: Apple’s 30-pin dock connector likely isn’t going any place, any time soon.
Are we happy about this? Are we wondering why it wasn’t micro-USB? Or do we really not care one way or another about it at this point?
[via the BBC, thanks sambell for the tip!]
Fair warning, this post is only for the serious gadget-loving Euro-Apple-fanbois….
Looks like the US isn’t the only country where iPhone 3G S is already burning lens flares into people’s cameras. Here are some early arrival shots from our 007-type friends across the pond. Europeans, the iPhones 3G S have landed! The carriers have them, and soon… so shall you!
More shots after the break!
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The European Union is known to be a little more hard core than North American regulators. Just ask Microsoft about their Windows monopoly fines, or Apple about iTunes pricing and DRM. Now, however, Apple Insider reports that the EU might just be getting ready to fire another shot across Apple’s bow with a “New Batteries Directive” that says power cells must be “readily removable”:
Gary Nevison, writing for New Electronics, said [PDF] “the requirement is clearly intended to ensure that users can remove batteries by opening a cover by hand or after removal of one or two screws. The producer will also have to provide the user with details on how to remove the battery safely.”
Of course, Apple and their design guru, Jonathan Ive, have long weighed the extra juice — and clean lines — of a single, integrated unit, so this may cause no end of frustrations in Cupertino. (Though the iPhone 3G does, of course, sport two new screws at the bottom, the battery removable process could still never be mistaken for “ready”).
What do you think? Removable batteries a plus for consumers and the environment? Or a harbinger of less sleek, less iconic iPhone designs? Is it better to look good, or be good?
The iPhone has now successfully stormed the mobile markets of both the Emerald Isle and the birthplace of the Oak. For those keeping track at home, this brings the official score card to:
| Europe |
North Am. |
South Am |
Asia |
Africa |
Oceania |
Antarctica |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(Not counting the massive gray market, ‘natch).
What makes the two newest iPhone launches unique, however, is that while hardware pricing is consistent with other EU countries, it looks like Austrians won’t be loving them some unlimited data any time soon, with T-Mobile caps firmly in place at 3GB. Of course, they’re still better off than their O2 bedeviled Irish launch-mates, who not only get even less data at a miserly 1GB, but also don’t get Visual Voicemail! (We should point out that, according to Apple Insider, use of Visual Voicemail in Austria will also count towards your 3GB of data!)
So are these capped data plans the future of iPhone? Are the European EDGE networks so obsoleted by 3G that they can’t handle more or is Apple being forced to concede on their data demands to get their units into more and more territories?
And now that 5 and 6 are settled, who’s in the running for 7? Apple COO Tim Cook did promise us Asia this year, which makes Japan (who knows about China?) a possibility. What about Australia? Scandinavia? Are we betting on Antarctica before data-gouged Canada? (I am!)
As we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, ever since the 1.4 firmware dropped, complete with a carrier reference for T-Mobile in Austria, we’ve known who will carry Herr Jobs’ miracle phone into its fifth European country. And now we know when!
Tomorrow, March 14th!
This revelations comes courtesy of Electronista (via Ars Technica) and the ever-lax security of T-Mobile private web pages (hit the aforementioned links for the screen caps).
The 8GB and 16GB versions will be available for €399 and €399 respectively, with rate plans ranging from €39 to €55, depending on the talk-time and SMS package. And unlike the Irish, it reportedly WILL rock Unlimited Data and Visual Voice Mail.
Austrian iPhone fans, better get in line now before the Governator buys them all!
As posted (and updated) earlier, O2 has officially launched the iPhone in Ireland, making it the fifth country (after the US, UK, Germany, and France) to enjoy the revolutionary phone and breakthrough internet device… ish…
Apple Insider reports that Irish iPhone plans, unlike all previous iPhone plans DO NOT come with unlimited data or visual voicemail (a feature often touted by Steve Jobs as being a prime example of carrier cooperation and hence, the benefit of exclusivity).
There seems to be two options here:
- We’ve heard before that Edge (2.5G data) coverage isn’t strong in Europe (which more quickly embraced the faster 3G data model), so could this be a (potentially temporary) situation that O2 will rectify over time? If so, we could be looking forward to service improvements and price drops like we saw with O2 in the UK.
- Or is this a sign that Apple is no longer pressuring carriers to offer affordable, unlimited data plans or features like visual voice mail as part of the iPhone package? If so, this could be the beginning of a far more sweeping and important story. It’s long been rumored that extremely high data rates have kept the iPhone out of countries like Canada, so if Apple is bending to carrier demands on these issues, it could allow the iPhone to spread wider, but at the cost of the concessions Apple was previously able to leverage. (And which analysts said could change the wireless industry)
What do you think? Is this just a temporary road bump on the way to Irish iPhone bliss, or a sign of changing times in carrier-land? And if so, would you prefer to see the iPhone in more countries, even if you get less data and fewer features? Or do you want Apple to hold the line on unlimited plans and visual voicemail-style innovations?
Current exclusive UK iPhone carrier O2 has apparently confirmed to Pocket-lint (via Engadget) that Apple’s finest will be launching on Ireland’s emerald shores come March 14th.
As with the UK, the device will sell via O2 Retail and Carphone Warehouse, cashing in at €399 (incl. VAT) for the 8GB or €499 (incl. VAT) for the 16GB, with rate plans starting at €45.
With O2 expanding its exclusivity into Ireland, and T-Mobile set to expand theirs into Austria, what’s next? Orange in Belgium? AT&T somehow getting into Canada? What’s your guess for iPhone’s next move?
UPDATE: Looks like the 1.1.4 firmware confirms carrier listings for O2 in Ireland and T-Mobile in Austria (Macity via Ars Technica).
UPDATE 2: It’s official, O2 launches the iPhone in Ireland (via Engadget).
After a full weekend of the iPhone in Europe, how well has the iPhone been doing? Well, T-Mobile reported that they sold 10,000 iPhones on the first day. That’s not too shabby; it’s not an incredibly high number either, but it’s not bad either.
O2 hasn’t published any numbers yet, so there’s a bunch of hemming and hawing about whether the UK launch was a success or failure — and same with the German launch, actually. My guess is that since possibly 250,000 iPhones have been unlocked and sent overseas and Apple has had to limit purchases to 2 and require a credit card for purchase, that the iPhone launch must have been pretty good over there when it started a few months ago.
There’s a big line at the mothership Regent Street Apple Store in London. The line started forming yesterday, and though there hasn’t been torrents of rain pouring down on the line waiters like there was in Germany, it’s been fairly cold — about 45° F. Still, the mood is chipper, and everyone is looking forward to getting their iPhone, and they’ll only have to wait about 2.5 hours before the official launch at 6:02 London time.
figure 1: Deutschland is the German word for Germany
Well, the iPhone has officially launched in Germany with T-Mobile, and with fanfare at that. Heise.de reports that there was a bunch of hooting and hollering, which reminds me of the Mall of America launch — they did a good job of making people feel like they were part of something big. Even if it was just for waiting for the release of a smartphone in a collapsible chair for 11 hours.
The CEO of T-Mobile is pleased with the demand for the iPhone, and is not sure that supplies will keep up with demand over the holiday season:
We’re not giving out precise forecasts, but registrations on our Web site lead me to believe (the Christmas sales period) will be a strong sales period.
iPhone: Bei mir, bist du schön.
