Apple's iPhone to be sold through more carries across Canada.
On the one hand, Bell Canada and Telus will start offering the iPhone, made by Apple in Canada next month. The two companies made the announcement Tuesday in a release.
It is therefore the end of exclusivity for Rogers, who was the only operator - including its subsidiary Fido - to sell the device from since July 11, 2008.
Bell and Telus signed an agreement with Apple that they can provide the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G in Canada in November, just before the holidays.
Details on pricing and availability of these devices remain unknown for now. This competition could drive down prices or packages offered by mobile operators.
This agreement coincides with the deployment of HSPA (High Speed Packet Access) by Bell and Telus to 93% of Canadians (according to Bell). This deployment should be completed by the end of the year.
Both companies have invested $1-billion to deploy the network that can reach 21 megabits per second (Mbps).
The same day, computer giant Microsoft has launched Windows Mobile 6.5, a new version of its operating software for mobile phones.
This system will integrate applications developed by the company, including Internet Explorer, Outlook and Windows Live Messenger, and use the search engine Bing. Suitable for touch screens, this operating system can read Flash files, unlike the iPhone.
In the process, Microsoft is launching a service for the sale of applications called MarketPlace, modeled on the Apple Appstore.
In Canada, it is precisely Bell and Telus, which will distribute the phones manufacturers Microsoft partners. Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG Electronics, Acer, HTC and Toshiba are among them.
Google strengthens its position
Google is no exception, since the company announced the same day that it has signed an agreement with Verizon, the United States, to distribute a cell phone equipped with its Android operating system.
Verizon and Google plan to invest a "substantial sum" in their strategic partnership which will offer "applications, services and advanced tools," said a statement.
Last month, the U.S. telecom equipment manufacturer Motorola has introduced the Cliq, its first phones running Android.
T-Mobile, a rival operator Verizon also offers a device running Android. The American Sprint Nextel and the Taiwanese HTC has already announced that they, too, soon propose in Android phones.
Only AT & T will not offer telephone operating under Google Android, but the company has an exclusive agreement with Apple for the iPhone.
