RSSReport: iPhone Coming to Canada via Rogers
By the Betanews Staff | Published October 5, 2007, 11:07 AM
Apple is planning to begin selling its Apple iPhone through Rogers Wireless in Canada by mid-October, technology news site Digital Journal reported this week. The site said a source from within Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfew said it would be receiving the phone within two weeks, and it would retail in the country for $799.
If true, such a high price for the phone may turn off many buyers. Although prices are typically higher in Canada, a weak dollar has brought the currencies to near parity, and Canadian consumers may balk at paying the premium. Apple would not comment on the report, and a Rogers Wireless representative would neither confirm nor deny it.
Don't freak out over this, Apple will reduce the price by 40% 45 days after launch.... save your freaking out for that.
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|id like to see the lineup to buy these, and then somone else stealing them just out of the stores.. crist, you can get em on ebay for like 60 bucks more then the states.. :S why? dont buy from holt!
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|"near parity" ?
Sure $799 CAD is $807 USD now.
Tell you what.. we will pass. Rogers sucks, the phone is locked, and they want how freaking much?
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|Well we are expected to pay at least over $2,000 over here in Malaysia - and that's without tax added. Tops $2,500 for an iPhone. What are the Canadians complaining about
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|well having a weaker or stronger dollar wont make any difference.
s*** in canada is always expensive
799 is alot and i wont believe it would be that high but it will still be more expensive than the US price of 399.
also remember its selling for 269 pounds in the UK, so thats abt 550 US dollars.
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|Since the federal government allowed Rogers to buy Fido, there became absolutely no competition for GSM cell service Canada. As such, Rogers can charge as much as they want - period. If you don't like it, well, you just have to buy something different. The only message Rogers will respond to is a lack of customers.
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|I simply don't believe it for the simple reason that they might as well not offer them for sale. Further, I already own a Rogers phone SIM, but I'll bet this deal will require a new one. No way I'll buy an iPhone in any case with all the foolish lock downs Apple is insisting on -- no third party apps, no unlock codes for travel -- a mess in my view and pure greed on Apple's part. I view the iPhone as a portable computer that includes a phone. Until it becomes that, I'm not interested. RIM is safe.
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|Since the federal government allowed Rogers to buy Fido, there became absolutely no competition for GSM cell service Canada. As such, Rogers can charge as much as they want - period. If you don't like it, well, you just have to buy something different. The only message Rogers will respond to is a lack of customers.
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|That is something that is annoying a lot of us Canadians lately. Our dollar is actually worth more than the American dollar(we hit parity about 2 weeks ago), but everything is still a good 30% more expensive up here.
Apple pricing the Canadian iPhone so much higher tha the US one will piss a lot of people off.
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|I'm getting sick of retailers automaically assuming that prices here in Canada have to be higher. that means that there is almost $400 per phone profit. I, for one, plan to go to the US to buy my phone before activating it.
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|I spend average 170.00 230.00 a month for my blackberry package, Rogers needs to lower the fees and have a unlimited package that people can afford.
Iphone in Canada will be a flop until fees are dropped.
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|The notion of charging DOUBLE for the iPhone in Canada is obscene. This speaks of greed on the part of Rogers ( nothing new ) or Apple ( ditto ). It is truly becomming ever more difficult to be an Apple supporter - after 19 years - in Canada. With the dollar at par we still pay a 10% premium here for no reason other than Apple can get away with it. That arrogance smells more and more like Redmond.
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|What people don't realize is that the cost of the phone is miniscule compared to the preposterour data rates Rogers - and its ilk - charge in Canada. Currently a service comparable to AT&T's $ 60 per month for'unlimited' data would cost at least $ 350 for 500 minute in Canada. Apple won't sell many ( any ) phone until that changes.... and I really want one!!
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|****ing ridiculous. we have a stronger dollar than americans and we are expected to pay $400 more. nice job apple, you won't be getting my dollar.
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|update from digitaljournal.com:
"An update for all DJ readers.
We have received word from Mario Manza, Executive Director of VIP Services at Holt Renfrew, that they will not be carrying the iPhone for now. He said he confirmed this information with the buyers this morning and apologized for any misinformation on behalf of the company.
It sure is a weird scenario: Yesterday we placed cold calls to their accessories department and they were telling everyone the iPhone would be there in two weeks. They were even going so far as taking down phone numbers of people who called, informing them they will call back when it arrives in two weeks. They even quoted the exact price of $799.
Yesterday we also received a panic-sounding call from Holt Renfrew's PR team saying this deal was not confirmed "yet" -- "yet" being the operative word.
If you call today, however, the same employees are now saying they are no longer getting the iPhone anytime soon. Digital Journal's insiders are now saying the same thing.
As we mentioned, and as most people agreed, Holt Renfrew sounded like a very unlikely place for the iPhone to be launched in Canada. But the retailer does carry expensive Nokia, D&G and Prada phones, and they have carried iPods in the past.
So rumour is quashed, for now (according to Mario Manza). Holt Renfrew insiders still say Rogers will have it in January but they say it's not clear why a potential Holt Renfrew deal fell through. We'll see if we can get more information on that.
We'll keep you posted if we learn anything new."
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|Crazy. What's really sad is that there are people who will actually spend that much on it for some reason.
Lol.
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|Old news herd it from a Rogers Cable installer in July. the price has got to change before I would even consider buying one. But I'm more than happy with my current phone, it'll be a couple years before I get a new one anyway.
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|I heard there may be 2 versions, one by Holt that includes an expensive case, and a regular version that's $100 more than the iPhone sold in the US
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|That makes more sense then what's reported here. Otherwise I do not see it selling well at all.
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|Greedy ****ing Apple. $799?! This when the Canadian dollar is stronger than the US? Pathedic.
Yahoo Finance:
Canadian Dollar Exchange
Rate to U.S. Dollar
$799 CDN = $814.3091 USD
As of Oct 5 at a rate of 1.0192
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|All I can say is: ROFL!
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|$799 !??!?!!!
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|1) $799 is crazy
2) Holt Renfrew is even crazier, why wouldn't rogers sell it through their stores?
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