Aussie telco Telstra slams the iPhone: it's doomed!
Greg Winn, Chief of Operations at the Australian telecoms company Telstra, has lashed out at Apple's iPhone, telling anyone who'll listen that it's doomed.
Now we Apple fans are used to disagreement, baiting, and flame-grilling from other inferior manufacturers and companies, but they don't usually drag the noble art of knitting into the discussion.
"There's an old saying - stick to your knitting - and Apple is not a mobile phone manufacturer, that's not their knitting,"
Hmm, I must've missed that one when my forefathers were handing out 'old sayings' for use by subsequent generations.
There was me thinking Apple made consumer electronics products, but perhaps Greg knows something more about Apple's name change than he's letting on.
For now, and leaving aside what could otherwise be the most bizarre Apple rumour ever: "Apple to launch Winter 2007 chunky knitwear collection", let's look at what Greg might actually mean:
"The iPhone may meet some significant operational challenges when it makes its market debut."
What at first might seem like a blow to anyone in Australia wanting an iPhone - Telstra are the only Aussie telco to offer EDGE technology on the 3G-friendly continent, and they've just dissed it - it's highly likely that second-generation and export (non-US) models of the iPhone will be 3G compatible. Said ITWire reporter, Steve Withers:
"Most commentators agree that Apple will need a 3G version of the iPhone for markets outside North America, so the fact that Telstra is the only Australian carrier with an EDGE network is neither here nor there."
Then again, an anonymous consultant from 3GSM agreed with Winn:
"Making a phone isn't like making just any consumer electronics device. To make GSM devices is doubly hard for outsiders - there's a cartel involved which owns all the intellectual property and they share the patents."
We'll see. Apple are obviously confident they'll break into the phone market, however tough the competition, with a continually evolving and adapting product. They've managed it with the iPod and the Mac, so why not the iPhone. A few negative (but amusing) words from some telecoms companies is unlikely to dent them.
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- iPhone basics: Which UK network will take the iPhone?
- iPhone sets the standard for the mobile industry to aim at
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