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Will Apple Be Providing Network Services?
Category: Guest Posts, iPhone Features & Apps, iPhone News, Technology
All the signs are pointing to 2012 for Apple to take control of how you use and connect to your network services on the hugely popular iPhone.
This final step by Apple would put the gadgets and media company in firm control of every iDevice on the market within a couple of years of the service starting, as old models are replaced with better functions, unrestricted by the limits of current network providers.
If Apple does decide this is the way to go, the iPhone will likely get smaller again, as there will be no requirement for a SIM card slot. Instead, the SIM data would be embedded directly into the existing hardware of the phone.
The same method would be used for the iPad and any other iDevice that uses network services.
The move to an embedded SIM for iPhone users would be a frustrating one for consumers and retailers alike. Currently, many network providers such as O2 or Vodafone sell the iPhone on their own data plans at a heavily subsidised rate. Without the guaranteed monthly income for network providers, this subsidisation will of course end as iPhone owners will be able to select their preferred network at the point of sale, and would possibly be able to change providers at will, using Apps downloaded from the App store that re-encode the phone.
Apple already manage to control stocks of their popular devices very well, seemingly restricting supplies to retail stores when demand is at its highest – which only serves to further increase consumers’ desire to get their hands on the latest models. With Apple in control of stock levels and network services, they really will have complete say in how their products are distributed and used.
A source from Apple has stated that the iPhone 5 that is scheduled for launch in mid-2011 is not expected to contain an embedded SIM so network providers can relax for at least another 18 months.
Tom Advani – Guest Poster, owner of FreeiPhones4me.com – another great resource to get yourself a free iPhone
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