European record price of iPhone 5s and 5c, an Italian story - Macity

In Italy Into iPad costs as in other European countries, the iPhone is costing more. In an indiscretion old of more than two years, the possible explanations for what seems an inexplicable fact that all behavior has its roots in Italian.

No penalty for the prices of iPad Air in Italy. This comes from the collection of costs at European level for the new model of tablet.Into As you can see from the diagram that we put on this page, the new device presented last Wednesday and arriving Nov. 1, will be available in Apple stores, the APR and online at the same price that this has in the main EU markets. Not affected by the VAT, one point higher than in Spain and three points more than in Germany or France. In the transalpine country, indeed, the iPad costs 10 euro more, probably due to the taxes levied on storage devices (something similar to our fee for the right to copy). In the U.S. alone the iPad is less expensive, but this is a practice that Apple has always followed and which provides a mark for the location and the different logistics infrastructure and labor costs outside the USA. In practical terms this means that it is not befitting to go abroad to buy an iPad, as, instead, it might be interesting to do for the iPhone and as is clear from the second table.

Into The comparison between the two products clearly an aspect discussed and debated, even ardently, in a thousand different items: the mark-up to the iPhone in our country compared to other nations. In this controversial case, many have launched accusations to Apple, accused of dealing from Italy stepdaughter and to encourage other nations, such as Germany or France, or maybe Switzerland. In fact we would wonder why this happens only for iPad or iPhone, and not for other products such as computers and accessories. Why Apple punishes Italy only for iPhone?
Possible answer hatching in our mailbox by two and a half years, in the form of anonymous email, delivered by a self-styled former manager Tim, in a presumed position of having had access useful information to understand why in Italy iPhone costs more than anything else.

Into In that message, sent in the days when the iPad was going to go to the stores of the partners who already had the iPhone, but not in those of Tim described a very tense situation between Apple and the mobile arm of Telecom Italy where the ‘ operator claimed to be applied for the tablet the same conditions that had been agreed for iPhone “mean by this – told us the person who had sent the mail – list prices higher so as to assign to those sold without a contract, as had been agreed iPhone. “

Into The reference was to a previous episode, dating back to the launch of the iPhone 4 and that would explain a lot, if not all, of the Italian record price in Europe and the world for the iPhone without a contract.

Into In that context, Apple would have been forced to accept the fact on the basis of intense negotiations, the conditions demanded by Tim, whose towing then put Vodafone, for our country: ie a price “facial” highest version unlocked; goal: make more attractive offers with subscription. In short, according to mobile operators, Apple should not have done what he had done with iPhone 3GS, sold unlocked on its website at a price lower than that of the operators, so as to make the purchase in a subscription offering unattractiveness, as well as laughable compared to economic benefits (in fact in Italy the phone you pay for everything when you buy with a contract, even if you pay in installments), despite the habit of Italians to pay in full the phones to switch providers when they see fit.

Into That this was a necessary step on the part of the operators, because of the very low margins and binding conditions to which their iPhones are sold by Apple, or a simple desire to make cash in the mail is not specified. What we do know is that if Apple had not accepted the conditions of Tim and Vodafone, the two main Italian mobile operators (60 million numbers in two), they were ready to give up iPhone, something that Apple prestige and visibility could not afford. Hence the decision to sell and increase the price of the iPhone 4, a tradition kept until today, which makes Italy the country in the world, some countries in the developing world apart, where the iPhone is more expensive.

Into That reconstruction is true is open to question, but certainly it is highly likely and to prove it there are a long series of clues. From the fact that, for example, Three (which was not part of the duo that would sit around a table and threatened to cancel the offer iPhone in stores) has repeatedly offered iPhone without a contract at a price lower than that offered by Apple formally , the switch from delays in the timing of the launch of Apple iPhone 4 announced agreements for iiphone, ending with the news that Macitynet picked up during that time and that gave Tim out of the game for iPhone 4. At that time we attributed the event to historically always turbulent relationship between Tim and Apple, when it actually would have been debates about the price of the phone and the economic opportunities offered in terms of promotions contract with holding court in the discussions.

Into So if in Italy there is a difference in price of iPhone 5s and 5c compared to other countries blame, to give heed to this reconstruction is not Apple, but mobile operators, Tim first and second Vodafone who took advantage of the occasion was made by Intavolata by the competitor to slip into the same rope. The fault, of course, indirectly, if we could be of Italian as well, have always been used to buy phones without contract and pay handsomely for the privilege that costs a lot but gives full freedom to switch providers if you prefer.

Into Apple may just be a victim of these conditions imposed by our market or, if nothing else, a kind of Pontius Pilate who preferred to wash their hands of the situation to attack the wagon where he applied for his master, also making good face game. After all, if someone asked to raise prices of iPhone, increasing not only for himself but also for the benefit of Apple, profit margins, giving her the opportunity to earn fiourescent 50 euro more than you would have hoped, at the same time taking charge hundreds of thousands of iPhone, instead of lasciarela to fight alone to sell iPhones with lower margins, why say no?