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Canadians Still Want an iPhone. Apple Still Not Making Announcements

Posted December 3, 2007 3:00 PM by Gregory Ng
Categories: News 

imageI do not live in Canada. Never have. I do not have any relatives there either. Nope, my world is (for better or worse) Ameri-centric. But even I am pissed off that Canadians cannot get their hands on an iPhone. Sure, they can buy ones on eBay and unlock them but it is absurd that the iPhone is readily available in the U.S. and all over Europe but not Canada. It is a travesty that Apple seems to be talking to Asia to release the iPhone next but can’t look north of our own borders to our northern neighbors.

People have cited many reasons to why it hasn’t happened yet. Most theories reside with issues with Rogers, not Apple.

They speak to Rogers not wanting to sell the iPhone until a 3G model is available, or conflicts with their exclusive Sony contract. Just over a month ago, there were rumors that Rogers would be selling the iPhone before the holidays. Then the Molson contest controversy happened. But ever since that supposed iPhone pre-order ad, there hasn’t been a peep.

It should be in Apple’s best interest to be selling the iPhone before the holidays but it seems that there is simply not enough time to ramp up materials, distribution and training before December 25th.

The next best thing is for Apple and Rogers to announce an official release date before the holidays. If Canadians knew the magic date was within reach, they might start to feel hopeful again.

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Comments

  1. I’m a Canadian, and I’ve been waiting to hear some good iPhone news for a long time. I know that I COULD get one on eBay and unlock it myself, but I’d rather get a real iPhone package from Rogers with unlimited web browsing. I’m also waiting for my contract with another network to run out first… but come March, Steve better have knocked some sense into Rogers.

    Maybe they’re saving announcements for MacWorld?

    Posted by Vinny on December 3, 2007 6:47 PM

  2. I too am Canadian, and must say that I was ready to buy one January 2007 when they were announced.  The longer it is that we don’t hear anything the less I want to rush out and get one.  I recently purchased an ipod touch, and that has taken the sting out of not having a phone.  Now with AT&T’s CEO Randall Stephenson stating that the 3G iPhone will be out before the end of next year, I think I will wait, even though Rogers does not have 3G service except Toronto (yah, yah the centre of the universe). 

    So, wether it’s Apple or Rogers, I don’t care, the delay has driven me from a “must have now”, to an “I’ll wait”.  so whoever is at fault, both rogers and Apple have not gotten any money out of me yet, and will now have to wait.

    Posted by CJ on December 3, 2007 8:54 PM

  3. Ok simple fact fellas,,, go to ebay or Craigslist and fork over your 500.00 dollars and get an unlocked iphone like the hundreds if not thousands of us have already done.

    Steve Jobs and Apple don’t care about Canada what so ever… Just order a maxed out imac and wait 23 days to receive it! 

    Ted Rogers don’t give a shyt about you either, his well over priced data plans make selling the iphone embarrassing…  Rogers doesn’t deserve anyone patronage due to their high prices and crappy customer service…

    I purchased an iphone put in my pay as you go sim from fido and it works great… for 29 dollars I bought into Hydro’s WiFi which covers a huge area of the GTA… Hence I have for 49.00 per month a great phone… way cheeper than getting the phone from Rogers…

    Steve got nothing from me and Ted’s only getting 20 dollars! Perfect justice for jacking us around with their silence!

    And fellas it works just fine!

    Posted by James Jones on December 3, 2007 10:35 PM

  4. I friend of mine asked a Rogers minion about the iPhone last week and he just said “March.”  My concern is that when it finally does get here, Roger’s plans will be so stupidly over-priced, I might as well have bought an unlocked one in July.

    Posted by sculley on December 4, 2007 7:07 AM

  5. So James,
    You paid a premium for the iPhone, and now are either paying an arm and a leg for your data, can’t use visual voicemail, or you are not using data.
    I already have a phone that does that.

    Posted by CJ on December 4, 2007 7:38 AM

  6. I think James is saying that he’s getting his data over the magical WiFi that covers Toronto. Sounds like a pretty good deal if you’re in T-dot, but still blows if you’re planning on using it outside of a metropolitan area.

    I’ve heard that some people got their hands on a hacked iPhone, and called up Rogers (telling them they have the device) looking for a deal. I guess it’s worked for some.

    Posted by Vinny on December 4, 2007 8:19 AM

  7. The longer it takes to get the iphone in canada, the less I want the first gen version. I debating if i should just go buy the ipod touch instead and wait for the next version. At&t CEO said last week that Apple will offer a 3G iphone in 2008 http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2007/11/30/att-and-the-3g-iphone-did-stephenson-just-screw-up-apples-near-term-handset-sales/

    Posted by Jim on December 4, 2007 8:37 AM

  8. hmmmmmm .... Jack Skellington has one ! Doesn’t work though.

    Posted by Apple-iPhone-Canada - Jack Skellington on December 4, 2007 9:56 AM

  9. http://apple-iphone-canada.blogspot.com/2007/11/oh-i-want-it-oh-i-want-it-what-is-this.html

    Posted by Apple-iPhone-Canada - Jack Skellington on December 4, 2007 9:57 AM

  10. Lets do the math….  The iphone is $399.00 US….  Plus tax your looking at about $430.00 (if you bought it in Michigan)  Assuming you don’t get hit with duty at the boarder, you still have to pay for the gas to get to the US and back.(say $30) not to mention pay to have someone who knows what they are doing to hack the thing(so add a minimum of $25).
    I paid a $15.00 premium!  So Im not feeling to bad….

    $29 dollars a month for data is a savings over 90% of Rogers data plans and most people I know who do use Rogers for data pay in the hundreds per month for the level of data this phone can provide and I dont care what kind of access you have had before with your phone…this is real web surfing!  I promise you will quadruple your data needs just using the iphone coolness!

    As for going other places..much of the US has free wifi such as Starbucks etc… so Im not worried about being out of coverage to much…

    Fellas buy the phone… yes you wont get visual voice mail! but you will get the 200 other kewl things this phone can do! that no other phone can do!

    Posted by James Jones on December 5, 2007 6:35 AM

  11. I bought an iphone a few months back for $490 CAD. I sold my crappy razr for $100 and dropped my Rogers SIM in the unlocked iPhone (I unlocked it myself, and I have 1000 minutes plan with Rogers).

    Its the best electronic device I have ever used. I use Google maps for finding businesses - and I get charged a very small amount for that data.
    For web surfing, I wait until I get to free wifi spot (there are a lot of them).

    Thats it. It saves me time and money, makes my work day more efficient, its a PLEASURE to use, and its got my music on too, and I never miss a call when I am listening to music.

    I couldnt care less if Rogers never brings it to Canada - I have one that works now.

    The other thing that impresses me is the reliability of the thing - no issues AT ALL, no crashes, nothing. I have LOADED it with 3rd party apps. - works like a dream.

    Now if Apple would only design a car and a house, we might have a better world - seriously, why do we put up with CRAP when good design is possible?

    All the other phone co.‘s should be ashamed of the junk they have been selling us for years.

    Posted by harry on December 5, 2007 11:38 PM

  12. Oh I forgot - seriously GREAT battery life, too!

    Posted by harry on December 5, 2007 11:40 PM

  13. The Rogers $65 laptop 1GB tethering plan works on the iPhone for in-device use, so one can at least surf very often…

    Posted by Mark Rejhon on December 6, 2007 12:13 PM

  14. Bravo to harry for his enthusiastic review. I have a comment on his statement: “I couldn’t care less if Rogers never brings it to Canada - I have one that works now.”

    Let us not forget the value of having an unlocked phone. If you travel internationally, you know how crazy expensive it is to roam overseas. You can get cheap pay-as-you-go SIM cards in most countries that you can drop into your iPhone and you will have a local phone number and you will spend less on calls home and make cheap local calls. All using your familiar phone with your calendar, directory, and apps at your fingertips just like every other day.

    There are a few companies in Canada now that sell unlocked iPhones and all you need to do is drop in your SIM card and go. Aside from no visual voicemail and YouTube seems a bit flaky for some reason, I would argue that the current situation in Canada, where we need to buy unlocked iPhones, is better than if Rogers offered the phone.

    Posted by Rob V on December 6, 2007 3:37 PM

  15. Excellent review Harry, I say Ted Rogers wouldn’t get one more dime from me If I had any say so….  I irks me that both Rogers and Apple Canada have taken total vows of silence on the iphone.  It shows a total lack of respect for the customer to not have any comment what so ever…  On the day iphone was introduced to the world all of the Toronto papers put the phone square on the front page and there should have been some comment from either company but there wasn’t.

    There is some good news on the horizon.. both Bell and Tellus are rumored to be offering low cost unlimited data plans more in line with the rest of the know world.  This will force Rogers from their unreasonably high plans and make the iphone proposition more attractive.  I will have to decide then if I will make the change to a plan from my pay as you go status.

    Posted by James Jones on December 6, 2007 7:19 PM

  16. Yah, I want an iPhone, and I’ll be more than happy to throw my Palm Treo off a bridge. But paying more money to the arrogant, megalithic Rogers for access to overpriced data plans chokes me. I’ve been tethered to Rogers for more than 20 years, and they consistently treat me poorly.

    In the past year I’ve cut my service plans back, and dropped one account due to Rogers’ so-called customer service.

    I’m ready to bail, and as soon as the next generation iPhone gets on the market, I’ll by a hacked phone and stick it on any other network than Rogers.

    Posted by bd on December 7, 2007 3:53 AM

  17. quote by bd “I’m ready to bail, and as soon as the next generation iPhone gets on the market, I’ll by a hacked phone and stick it on any other network than Rogers.”

    I’ve got news for you. 
    The iphone will only work on GSM networks.  So its either Rogers, or Fido. (which is owned by Rogers)

    Posted by iCON on December 7, 2007 3:08 PM

  18. Nope, new version of iPhone won’t be restricted to GSM. So I’ll wait till then and dump Mr. Rogers!

    Posted by bd on December 7, 2007 3:24 PM

  19. Nope the phone is always going to be GSM ... ATT is driving this boat for Apple and will not let them author a CDMA phone for say Telus or Bell!  So don’t wait buy!....

    By the way who says it will be an all new phone..it may be a soft wear update that will give us 3G….

    Posted by James Jones on December 8, 2007 11:12 PM

  20. James, please stop embarrassing himself.

    The 3G upgrade to HSDPA absolutely will require a hardware upgrade.

    Also, I understand and agree with most of the negative comments about Rogers, but you shouldn’t be so quick to fork money over to Fido: Fido is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rogers. Like Future Shop (owned by Best Buy), Fido exists to create an illusion of competition without putting downward pressure on prices, or pressure on Rogers to improve customer service (and thankfully for Rogers, Bell and Telus’ customer service is equally horrendous).

    Posted by Ryan on December 10, 2007 1:23 PM

  21. will the iphone just work in GTA or will you be able to make calls from anywhere in canada

    Posted by jeff on December 10, 2007 1:50 PM

  22. Looks like casino niagra is giving way iphones. but it does not say in the rules anything about a carrier. they are right next to the boarder.

    Posted by chris on December 10, 2007 2:46 PM

  23. here is the link

    http://casinoniagara.com/?Page=Multi Description Promotions

    Posted by chris on December 10, 2007 2:47 PM

  24. Fed up with waiting and Rogers’ nonsense, yesterday my wife bought out her Rogers plan, and picked up a Blackberry through another provider (not Fido). Now she pays about the same, but she has substantially better service package—a much better deal than she could get Rogers to agree to.

    Not the same as an iPhone, by a long shot. But we’re voting with our dollars and leaving Mr Rogers neighborhood phone by phone, for what it’s worth, if only in protest at the prolonged wait for iPhone that can only be attributed to Rogers internal issues.

    As a customer of Rogers, you can rely on the fact that your interests are only superseded by those of the company.

    I strongly encourage others to take action, demand real competition in cellular phone service in Canada.

    Posted by bd on December 10, 2007 4:05 PM

  25. http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/07/10/rogers.data.hinders.iphone/

    Posted by bd on December 10, 2007 6:14 PM

  26. Ryan…not embarrassed at all I simply suggested that many upgrades are possible via firm wear such as the video capabilities rumored to be on the horizon…  While Im not a phone expert like you….  I cant say I really care about 3g at this point.

    As I wanted the iphone rogers and or its subsidiary Fido are the ONLY two in town capable as they own the GMS network ...Bell and Telus are on CDMA. Apple has clearly stated they will not make CDMA phone! 

    My alternatives is to move to the USA…NOT!
    Buy and settle for a berry….NOT!
    Pay Fido the minimum needed and suck it up! 

    My Fido account costs me between 20 and 30 dollar a month on pay as you go… Way lass than a full Rogers data account…

    I HAVE ONE AND LOVE IT!  WORKS GREAT!!!

    bd..sorry u went to a berry but i understand ..wish Ted Rogers got none of my money!

    Posted by James Jones on December 10, 2007 10:43 PM

  27. Dear Sir/Madam,

    We noticed that you recently contacted Rogers Communications, utilizing
    the ‘Contact Us by Email’ service on Rogers.com.

    Customer Service is very important to Rogers Communications. We
    continually strive to exceed our customers’ expectations. The Email Team
    “Ecare” would like to acknowledge and apologize that we did not meet
    your expectations of receiving a response within 24 hours. We apologize
    for any inconvenience we caused you.

    Thank you for taking the time to write to us, we appreciate your use of
    online customer service.

    In your recent email, you have informed us that you would like to know
    when the iPhone will be released.

    Unfortunately we are unaware when new products and services will be
    released until they are launched to the consumer market.  We suggest you
    visit www.rogers.com/phones because when new products are released they
    are listed here.

    We appreciate your continuing patronage. Please contact us at your
    convenience if you have any further inquiries.

    For future email correspondence with respect to this e-mail, please
    quote reference number 31207100

    Regards,
    Diane P.
    Rogers Online Customer Service
    http://www.rogers.com

    Posted by bd on December 17, 2007 11:00 AM

  28. Here by Summer 2008 ?
    Who are these analysts anyway ???

    Posted by Canada-iPhone on December 21, 2007 11:32 AM

  29. http://www.canada-iphone.blogspot.com

    Who ??

    Posted by Canada-iPhone on December 21, 2007 11:33 AM

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