News - Rumours Apple's poised to cut out phone carriers

[HEXUS]

Further iPhone domination wanted?

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[Stringent]

So long as I can transfer my current plan onto it, fine. If I am limited to a choice of carriers and contracts, no way.

[3dcandy]

Helps Apple too...I mean you'd have to sign up as a carrier for your data to setup to be used, obviously with a charge! One more way, in my opinion of course, in how Apple wants to control everything....could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it...

[Funkstar]

Do the networks atually make anything out of the retail sale of a hadset? Or is it all in the contract?

I would guess it is the latter (if they make any money on iPhones at all, there was a while that O2 didn't make any money on them whatsoever), if this is the case, the networks could welcome this as it would remove a cost from them. I guess the only down side for them would be the inability to upsell cases, chargers, insurance and things like that.

[TheAnimus]

One of my complaints about the Windows Mobile 7 Launch was the stupid network lock ins.

Unless your selling something like Kera Nightly 'fun time' then all you will do is piss off customers....

[mikerr]

Apple trying to get more control and cost out of the user, as always

[Flash477]

So this just means that it'll cost people more as the phones will no longer be subsidised by the network.

[Funkstar]

I don't see why. Think of this as Apple being the exclusive reseller for the iPhone across all networks. So just as CarphoneWarehouse is a reseller of the iPhone for the big four networks, Apple will take that role.

Doing it this way could let you change the network you are signed up to, simply by connecting to iTunes and chosing the new network and package deal through that. Your handset then gets updated and away you go. Very simple, no need to call to cancel contracts and set up new ones, potentially the whole migration process could happen automatically. The EU have been speaking about putting pressure on networks to get migration of numbers gown to hours instead of days, I can see Apple taking advantage of this with this new "SIM" and iTunes.

Billing could also be doen through iTunes, this really will turn the networks into a dumb pipe. The next and final step would be to set up a virtual network called "Apple Net" on all the networks and allow roaming across physical networks which will mean you won't even know what network you are connected to and Apple will control every single aspect of your mobile experience (this wouldn't be a bad thing as you would be garanteed a signal virtually anywhere in the country).

[Spud1]

Am I missing something here or is this not actually a saving for all concerned?

Of course its all speculation at the moment, but surely this just removes cost from the operators, and doesn't mean that apple /have/ to be exclusive retailers..it just means that rather than having a product a physical sim, the sim is integrated into the phone. So that phone could still be programmed to only work on o2 (perhaps this lock is activated when the phone is activated on a given plan), or voda etc. The networks could still sell it, and apple could continue selling sim free ones.

Or is there something else here..it sounds like they have just eliminated network specific sim cards, which surely is better for everyone? Apple could already decide to not sell through the networks and sell them all sim free, as they already do..

[3dcandy]

I don't see why. Think of this as Apple being the exclusive reseller for the iPhone across all networks. So just as CarphoneWarehouse is a reseller of the iPhone for the big four networks, Apple will take that role.

Doing it this way could let you change the network you are signed up to, simply by connecting to iTunes and chosing the new network and package deal through that. Your handset then gets updated and away you go. Very simple, no need to call to cancel contracts and set up new ones, potentially the whole migration process could happen automatically. The EU have been speaking about putting pressure on networks to get migration of numbers gown to hours instead of days, I can see Apple taking advantage of this with this new "SIM" and iTunes.

Billing could also be doen through iTunes, this really will turn the networks into a dumb pipe. The next and final step would be to set up a virtual network called "Apple Net" on all the networks and allow roaming across physical networks which will mean you won't even know what network you are connected to and Apple will control every single aspect of your mobile experience (this wouldn't be a bad thing as you would be garanteed a signal virtually anywhere in the country).

Wouldn't be a bad thing? Why don't you give Apple your spare lung whilst you're there mate, you don't need it obviously...
I mean, they control what you can do with your data like pictures etc. why not monitor your texts and phone calls too...

[Merson]

Wouldn't be a bad thing? Why don't you give Apple your spare lung whilst you're there mate, you don't need it obviously...
I mean, they control what you can do with your data like pictures etc. why not monitor your texts and phone calls too...

sar·casm   
[sahr-kaz-uhm]
–noun
1.
harsh or bitter derision or irony.
2.
a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms.

[Funkstar]

Of course its all speculation at the moment, but surely this just removes cost from the operators, and doesn't mean that apple /have/ to be exclusive retailers..it just means that rather than having a product a physical sim, the sim is integrated into the phone. So that phone could still be programmed to only work on o2 (perhaps this lock is activated when the phone is activated on a given plan), or voda etc. The networks could still sell it, and apple could continue selling sim free ones.

That is, of course, another option. This would save Apple from having to install a SIM card holder. They already chopped it down to a micro SIM barely bigger than the metal contacts, I think they just don't like having it there at all.

[Funkstar]

Wouldn't be a bad thing? Why don't you give Apple your spare lung whilst you're there mate, you don't need it obviously...
I mean, they control what you can do with your data like pictures etc. why not monitor your texts and phone calls too...

You took that little comment about it not being a bad thing entirely out of context. Granted I could have placed the brackets better. how does this read?

Billing could also be done through iTunes, this really will turn the networks into a dumb pipe. The next and final step would be to set up a virtual network called "Apple Net" on all the networks and allow roaming across physical networks which will mean you won't even know what network you are connected to (this wouldn't be a bad thing as you would be guaranteed a signal virtually anywhere in the country) and Apple will control every single aspect of your mobile experience.

Anyway, Apple can get as controlling over the iPhone as they like, it will not effect me as I don't own one and never intend getting one. The more controlling they get, the less likely I am to buy one

[Defiant]

This smacks of money grabbing, I recon from that point onwards the cost of the handset will be uniform over any carrier and I will bet money the price of them is going go up after this.

[Mattus]

I mean, they control what you can do with your data like pictures etc. why not monitor your texts and phone calls too...

Is there any suggestion that that's what Apple is going to do? Or are they just replacing a physical SIM card with an internal programmable one? Programming the SIM via iTunes doesn't give Apple the ability to sniff phone calls. They'd still go through the carrier's network as usual - it's not like your phone is connecting through 'AppleTel'. You're just being melodramatic and spreading FUD.

[matty-hodgson]

That is, of course, another option. This would save Apple from having to install a SIM card holder. They already chopped it down to a micro SIM barely bigger than the metal contacts, I think they just don't like having it there at all.

It is, by a long shot, the ugliest part of the phone. It just looks odd on the side, like a little slot that noone can really work out.

I've been asked by mates and my girlfriend: "What's this slot for with the hole in?" to which I have to respond "Oh, when you buy the phone Apple give you a little souped up paper clip which you stab in the hole and out pops the sim card holder."