We have heard of mobile phone carriers in Europe slashing the prices of the basic iPhone unit to almost half the original cost. We reported earlier that the slow sales of Apple’s iPhone in Europe could have triggered the price cut but there is now one theory that could explain why the iPhone is offered now at lower price.

Experts believed the reason for the price cut is to sell out all the basic iPhone units in preparation for the coming of the 3G iPhone in the next few months. Of course, this is a practical way for iPhone carriers to dispose of the old iPhone because for sure no one will be interested on it when the iPhone 2.0 is introduced in the market.

The iPhone will be shipped to India this September but we learned that the units will not be the 3G version. Though mobile phone lovers in India will surely buy the old version iPhone, millions of others will surely wait for the arrival of the 3G iPhone so Apple has to dispose of the remaining inventory even if it means cutting the price off.     Read the rest of this entry »

After Nokia’s unofficial announcement of the Tube 5800, LG Electronics said it will also try to challenge the iPhone by releasing new handsets with touch-screen user interface.

The South Korean firm, considered as the worlds number 5 handset maker, made the pronouncement after the success of its Prada KE850 handset, which has sometimes been described as an ‘iPhone clone’ even though it was announced two months before Apple’s product.

Earlier, LG Electronics has entered the touch-screen phone arena, which is dominated by Apple’s iPhone, with the launch of LG-KF510 also known as “Touch Lighting Phone”.     Read the rest of this entry »

O2, which is the only iPhone network provider in the UK, has reduced the retail price of the standard iPhone unit by £100 in an effort to attract new customers. But a research firm believes sales of the iPhone have slowed down significantly in all the European markets, prompting the network carrier to decrease its price.

An O2 spokesman said the iPhone has been very successful and the price cut will surely further increase the figures. The offer will be available to all iPhone users irrespective of what price plan they choose.

The offer for the Apple 8GB model is for a limited period only until 1 June, and the price of the more advanced 16GB handset remains unchanged at £329.

But research firm CCS Insight said iPhone sales have slowed significantly in all the European markets where it is available and Apple will need to overcome it to reach its target of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008.          Read the rest of this entry »

After the devastating news about China Mobile turning down the offer of Apple to be the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in China, Apple is shifting its focus to another giant mobile phone market - India.

The 8GB iPhone will be released in India, with a target price of Rs28,000, with Vodafone as the exclusive carrier.

Meanwhile, we posted earlier about the decreasing iPhone sales in Europe which has resulted to the slashing down of the unit’s prices.

O2, which is the only iPhone network provider in the UK, has reduced the retail price of the standard iPhone unit by £100 in an effort to attract new customers. But a research firm believes sales of the iPhone have slowed down significantly in all the European markets, prompting the network carrier to decrease its price.     Read the rest of this entry »

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier with more than 300 million subscribers in China, said it turned down the offer of Apple for the Chinese company to be the exclusive carrier of iPhone in China.

China-iPhone.com quoted China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou as saying that concerns about business models and commercialization have prevented the two sides from further continuing talks to sell the iPhone in China.

If this is correct, Apple’s plan to introduce the iPhone in China this year is facing a blank wall. Apple should immediately reconsider its offer and ensure that China Mobile will accept the iPhone to ensure a wider market in China.

But even without the official arrival of iPhone in China, at least 100,000 iPhone units have been reportedly sold in the Chinese markets.

Apple’s plan to tap China Mobile for the official release of iPhone in China suddenly went puff!

This after an official of China Mobile, the largest mobile phone carrier in China with more than 300 million subscriber, said the business models of the two companies are not compatible and thus “there are no negotions”.

China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou said that concerns about business models and commercialization have prevented thet wo sides from further continuing talks to sell the iPhone in China.

But Wang said it is “not closing its door” to Apple “as long as there is customer demand”. Read the rest of this entry »