iPhone Launch in Canada On Friday Amidst Controversy
yes, I know I am posting disproportionate amount of cell phone posts lately. I tend to hyper focus on things and this month it is cell phones and smartphones.
iphones have not been available in Canada but I have seen many. Canadian have been buying the phones over the border using an American address ( which I believe is illegal)
I am not a fan of touch screen stuff. When looking for a new phone the helpful clerk commented when I was looking an an HTC that i would hate it… because of the touch technology- I knew exactly what he was thinking- that an 40-something soccer mom would not be able to use it… ARGH. No, i just don;t find it the most efficient way to sue a bleeding phone!Anyway- I better learn quick as I am planning on getting a Samsung Instinct next month when they are released by Bell.
I digress. I have been following Roger’s Canada marketing of the iPhone here in Canada. It has been highly anticipated and followed int he media because of the way Rogers; has chosen to market the phone and consumers have reacted with fury, Apple has also been disgusted and their is speculation they will not even carry the iphone in their Apple stores. Rumours abound that they will also short ship the phones and send them over to Europe instead.
Why the controversy over the iPhone?
Rogers ( up until a couple of days ago) rate package was completely out of whack and a blatant exploitation of consumers.
1) Contract length of 3 years.
You can only get iPhone on a NEW three year contract. Current Rogers customers must wait to upgrade to an iPhone.
2) Cost. On top of phone plan ANOTHER 60.00 just to use iPhone. You won;’ believe what comes next and what you get for 60.00
3) Data cap. Rogers will allow users up to 400 MB of data transfer. Ouch. This is a gross amount of money to charge and will get eaten up by most users very quickly by apps like GPS and media transfers.
Many believe in part because of of several grassroots campaigns to boycott and petition Rogers, like www.ruinediphone.com , Rogers announced yesterday that they would offer a new plan for limited time ( very limited). They are offering a $30-a-month plan with 6 GB data on the iPhone, on top of voice plans that start at $20 plus a system access fee of $6.95 a month. The new plan will be offered only until Aug. 31 and only to new users.
Still not that great.
It’s about time that Rogers let go of some of the rediculous prices they are charging for data. Canada is paying so much more for data than countries in europe. Light has only been shed on this because of the launch of the iphone. I hope people will keep on speaking out against these rediculous prices.
It was interesting to see how Rogers announced a few weeks ago that the majority of users don’t use anywhere near the data limits that Rogers has imposed….will be interesting to see if that continues. You have to think that Canadians will start browsing the web and doing google searches more on their mobile devices soon.
Search Marketing Canada’s last blog post..SearchFuel.com search blog launches