World of Apple

Two new adverts for the iPhone have begun airing on U.S. television over the weekend and have been promptly posted on Apple’s website. Of note is that the adverts have moved away from the recent theme of advertising the App Store and returned to touting iPhone features.

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Since January 14 when the iPhone went on sale with Vodafone UK the carrier has sold 100,000 iPhone 3G and 3GS units.

“The demand from both consumer and business customers has been phenomenal. They want an outstanding phone on an outstanding network and we’re delivering that,” said Vodafone UKCEO Guy Laurence.

Vodafone UK sold 50,000 units in the just first day.

Vodafone has announced today that the iPhone will be available on its network in the UK from January 14, 2010.

“We started preparing our network over a year ago so that iPhone customers will really feel the advantage of being with Vodafone,” said Guy Laurence, CEO, Vodafone UK. “We will offer an outstanding iPhone experience wherever our customers live, work and travel, delivering speed and reliability – something our customers have told us they really value.”

“We’re especially pleased to offer iPhone to business customers from launch, both directly and through a network of 20 dealers across the country – clearly demonstrating that Vodafone is the natural home for small business.”

Vodafone UK pricing for the iPhone remains in line with the likes of Orange and O2 who already sell the iPhone in the UK. The cheapest contract available is a 24-month £30/month with iPhone handset prices at £59, £149 and £239 for the iPhone 3G 8GB, iPhone 3GS 16GB and iPhone 3GS 32GB respectively. The £30 per month tariff offers 300 minutes, unlimited text messages, unlimited WiFi but only 1GB of network data transfer.

Japanese based research firm Impress R&D has released a report showing that the iPhone has 46.1% of the Japanese smartphone market. Impress goes onto break down individual iPhone models stating that the iPhone 3G has a 24.6% share whilst the 3GS has a 21.5% share.

MobileCrunch offers some analysis pointing towards aggressive advertising via print and TV adverts and competitive pricing from the exclusive carrier Softbank.

China Unicom chairman Chang Xiaobing has confirmed that the official iPhone carrier in China has sold 100,000 iPhones in the first 40 days of sales.

The comment comes after company Wednesday Marbridge Consulting reported that Unicom had sold only 10,000 units. This figure has now been confirmed to have been a typo.

Further on in the interview Xiaobing criticised the media for focussing on the high price of the contract-free 32GB iPhone 3GS which sells for an equivalent value of $1033. The chairman also refers to previous reports that China Unicom purchased 5 million units from Apple which Xiaobing describes as “not entirely accurate”.

Britains largest supermarket Tesco announced today that it will begin selling the iPhone through an agreement with O2, the supermarket hopes to have pay-as-you-go and contract models available before Christmas 2009.

Tesco is not currently offering any pricing or tariff details. But did describe the pricing as “competitive”.

Tesco Mobile which is a joint venture with O2 will be offering the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in Tesco Phone Shops and online through Tesco Direct in the UK.

Radioshack has released a brief statement announcing that it will begin selling the iPhone in some markets later this month with a complete U.S. rollout in 2010.

“As part of its ongoing mobility strategy, RadioShack is pleased to announce that it will introduce Apple’s iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in a limited number of company-owned stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth and New York City metropolitan areas beginning later this month. RadioShack expects to introduce iPhone in stores nationwide in 2010. For more information about exact store locations and product availability, visit www.radioshack.com. For more information about iPhone, visit www.apple.com/iphone.”

Orange UK has today revealed prices and tariffs ahead of the iPhone launch on November 10.

Although many were expect Orange to compete heavily with O2 in the UK, the carrier appears to have decided to be very much in line with the current O2 pricing.

Orange’s cheapest 24 month pay monthly contract is £29.36 compared to O2’s cheapest which is £34.26 with the former offering far fewer minutes and texts but is offering a free iPhone 3G 8GB handset.

The iPhone will be sold by Orange in the UK in Orange shops, Orange on-line, Orange HMV concessions, Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and more. A number of Orange stores across the UK will be celebrating the launch of iPhone on Orange with early opening times from 7am on November 10th, with other stores across the country keeping their doors open until late.

“The excitement for the iPhone is immense, and this is a great day for our customers, our company and our employees. Since we announced the iPhone on Orange we have already seen more than a quarter of a million customers register their interest on our website. We will be matching their enthusiasm with a 3G mobile broadband network that covers more people in the UK than any other operator, a commitment to deliver the best 3G experience on the iPhone and best-in-class applications and plans. Earlier this year we stated our ambition to become the destination brand of choice for high end mobile users in the UK. With the launch of the iPhone on November 10 we’re pleased to be fulfilling that ambition.” Stated Tom Alexander, CEO of Orange UK in a press release today.

The Times is reporting that Orange will launch the iPhone on its network in the UK on November 10, one day after O2 loses its exclusive grasp on the Apple handset.

The Times also adds that over 200,000 people have pre-registered their interest in buying the iPhone from Orange. Orange declined to comment on the launch date of pre-registration figures.

Vodafone will also begin selling the iPhone in early 2010 while 3 has confirmed to the The Times that it expects to begin selling the iPhone in mid-2010.

Currently no pricing for handsets of tariffs is available from Orange, Vodafone or 3.

Nokia said Thursday that it is suing Apple in the Delaware District Court for infringing patents on mobile phone technologies. Nokia claims that it has not been compensated and said Apple had “a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation”.

Nokia claims that Apple is infringing ten patents related to Global System for Mobile communications, or GSM; wireless local area network, or WLAN; and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, or UMTS.

“The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for,” said Ilkka Rahnasto, Vice President, Legal & Intellectual Property at Nokia. “Apple is also expected to follow this principle. By refusing to agree appropriate terms for Nokia’s intellectual property, Apple is attempting to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation.”

Nokia says that it has agreements with around 40 other mobile phone manufacturers allowing use of Nokia’s technologies but Apple is not one of them.