Go figure, right? You get a relatively hot phone out onto more carriers, and just like that, sales increase. It ain’t rocket science, buster. As AT&T grins happily while enjoying a death grip on Apple’s cash cow here in the States, things are a lot more wide open for consumers across the pond. In both France and the UK, the iPhone has been given the all-clear to be sold on multiple carriers, and according to research from Bernstein, the “widening of the distribution has boosted Apple’s value market share to 32 percent in the latest quarter from 21 percent just three months earlier.” The notes also mention that Apple’s increase is coming at the expense of RIM, with over 600,000 iPhone handsets being sold during Q3 2009 in France alone. The point to all this madness? Oh, not much — just to tell Sir Jobs that he can count on quite a bit more dough should he decide to sell this elusive “iPhone” device on Verizon in the US of A.The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Electronista | MarketWatch | Email this | Comments [From The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe]
Apple originally entered into exclusive carrier agreements in order to get the concessions they needed on controlling the iPhone experience. It seems unlikely any of these agreements are now necessary or will be renewed given these sales figures.
With the USA still the largest single iPhone market (over 40%) there is potential for a substantial boost in iPhone market share growth when the AT&T exclusivity arrangement ends in 2010.