KPN CEO confirms Apple iPhone bit player status
It’s quite fascinating watching a possible global powerhouse move to a single digit bit-player across the year. Not long ago I was getting mails from mobile operators telling me just how much they were, frankly (and I quote), ’shitting themselves’ about the Apple iPhone launch. How the market has changed.
Now that we’re clear that Apple only ever intends being a bit player after the supremely underwhelming launches in various international territories, much of the mobile marketplace appears to be breathing a sigh of relief.
One insider at an international carrier told me last night on IM:
We can relax now… Apple helped bring some momentum into the market. We need to up our game with [for example] data plans, but it’s steady as she goes now… The iPhone panic is over.
The next big problem (or opportunity) for the carriers? Google. But it’s a while away, at least.
Apple’s 10 million-units-in-18-months target is a reasonable one. I, like most of the mobile operators, thought the iPhone would be snapped up by the iPod crowd. It would have been, if it was priced right — but of course, we weren’t thinking about Apple’s exclusive pricing strategy.
Here’s a quote I picked up from StrategyEye about the KPN CEO doing a virtual shrug over the iPhone.
KPN CEO, Ad Scheepbouwer, is keen to sell the iPhone in the Netherlands, despite reportedly claiming that the smartphone is “pretty useless.” Talking to the Financial Times, Scheepbouwer says he used to have an iPhone, but “the battery ran out in no time” and he “didn’t like the touch screen.” He also says that the iPhone’s launch in Germany on Nov 9 had not had any effect on KPN’s Germany unit, E-Plus. However, the CEO admits he would “be more than happy to sell it. We have half the market in the Netherlands and we hope we will be the party of choice.”
I have finally reoriented my view on the iPhone now…
Sorry Ewan,
Apple is still a beast(, but still very young). You can look forward to iPhone 2 this year. Also, openings in Italy, Belgium, Spain, and perhaps Japan.
You’ve seen Jobs shepherd Apple’s fortunes for the past 11 years. Do you think he’d blow the iPhone rollout after dropping ‘Computers’ form the company name?
Apple is a beastly company. Have you noticed that the whole goddamn industry is paying attention to a company and product that showed up only 7 months ago?
Posted by Huh? on February 7th, 2008 at 8:54 pm.They’re a bit player, Huh, chasing after a few points of the industry. The mobile manufacturers have all relaxed now — they’ve nothing to fear.
Had Apple come to the market with a $99 iPhone, unlocked and unrestricted, Nokia’s share price (for example) would be tanking at the moment. It isn’t and there’s no need for it.
At a 1000 pound or roughly $2000 commitment, it will only ever be a digit on the mobile phone pie chart. Bit of a shame, I reckon. I was hoping Apple would ‘go big’. You never know, they might do an about-turn at some point.
In Italy, Belgium, Spain and wherever, be very clear: It’ll sell a few. But not a lot. It’s just far too expensive at the moment.
Posted by Ewan on February 7th, 2008 at 9:00 pm.Ewan is totally right.
Posted by Barry O'Connell on February 8th, 2008 at 12:16 am.