MSE News: Orange deal sparks iPhone price-cut hopes

Stephen_Webber

gjchester wrote: »

Orange have said they will brand it but it may be minimal, probably a re-skinning and a superficial.

Have you got a source for this? It would be the first time (as far as I am aware) that an iPhone has been branded differently to all the rest.

sporedude

Probably just be branded Orange on the cover, With Apples OS.

randomtask_2

you can always rely on Chinese counterfeiters...not that they can spell Orange...

RDMD

So what happens to iphones sold directly by apple. Will they be sold with o2 or orange sim. Or will they be sim-less?

Snakeeyes21

Is this really 'news' and a shock seemings orange and t-moble are merging and t-mobile already offering people an iphone

gjchester

Stephen_Webber wrote: »

Have you got a source for this? It would be the first time (as far as I am aware) that an iPhone has been branded differently to all the rest.

Tech Radar has a comment in the interview / press release

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/orange-iphone-to-launch-sooner-than-some-think--638911

"Some potential customers of Orange looking to get the new iPhone when it launches have expressed worry that the network will be branding it heavily (as it has with many other devices), but the spokesperson has stated this is likely to be blocked by Apple:
"In terms of our signature Orange firmware we'll release more information nearer the time. We all know the way Apple operate and what other operators have managed to implement on the iPhone across the world, so it will be relatively minimal.""

Suggests there has been some changed already by operators but as I say probably just skinning the OS rather than stuffing it fully, over as network operators usually do, to get a few more pence per called in the name of revenue.

Interesting they call it "Signiture" firmware and the end user called is a PITA..

Stephen_Webber

I doubt Apple would even allow the operators to skin it, or I'm sure we'd have seen screen grabs before now. Apple spend a fortune on their look and feel, they aren't going to give that up for Orange when there are a load of other operators who will be so glad to get the iPhone that they'll leave it untouched.

eljmayes

It's very likely that once Vodafone have it as widely rumoured after Christmas prices for PAYG Iphones will plummet to around 250 quid- before Christmas on Orange it will be around the 300 quid mark I'm sure.

starsailor123uk

It's no longer a monopoly its a duopoly and will make little difference to prices

Demand is still high so prices will stay high

If you think two companies selling a thing people want and demand outstrips supply then by rights I should be paying about 30% less for my electric and gas but I won't

True competition only exists where access and exit from the market is easy and it is not in both areas as size and apple's control make it not so.

If you want true competition in the UK Ofcom needs to insist that all handsets are made available to all networks ( and others ) and that they are unlocked at the end of a minimum contract ( not greater than 12 months) by the provider including removal of all branding

MoscowFlyer

It should be announced later today that Vodafone have got it as well.

Edit: Already announced this morning.