Apple has recently announced that the iPhone will become available in Canada later this year through Rogers,although nothing about timetable or pricing plans.
Rogers was always expected to be the carrier as they are the only one of the three telecom operators in Canada ( the others being Bell and Telus) that could support the iPhone.
Unfortunately it is not all unbounded joy .....
Michael Geist , a law professor at the University of Ottowa and columnist for the Toronto Star , makes a very convincing arguement that the delay in bringing the iPhone to Canada , shows ' that Canadian wireless is in a state of crisis..' and that it 'is hopelessly behind the rest of the world with limited competition, higher prices, and less choice' - and frankly , if you read his bio , he should know !!
The reason this really matters is not some stuff about pro /anti apple obsessives , but because the mobile internet really matters.Whilst there is a lot of hype around the concept , the trend in terms of developing technology seems firmly pointed towards devices that are small and portable , similar to todays smartphones that will allow people to access the interent for a whole load of different and useful/useless reasons !
And whilst the devices matter , the infrastructure matters equally - at the risk of a cliche , it really is a chicken and egg situation.The debate about whether or not developing an infrastructure should be market or state led isn't for here , but surely the starting point is that a wireless infrastructure is needed and needed now and how you get there is secondary,
What the iPhone delay has really shown Canada is hugely symbolic as much as anything , given its closeness in so many ways to the US . Lets hope big brother really is watching and listening this time + does something about it !
( image apple )
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