Apple to change the global roaming picture?

[inquisitor]

Originally Posted by meir

Well I guess something similar does exist already. When using Kindle 3G, you have free access to internet in about 100 countries. You can use the browser in Kindle. So I dont see reason, why Apple couldnt make it.

Apple and Amazon have completely different business models and intentions. While 3G connectivity just serves an an expedient for Amazon in order to sell digital content, Apple are focussed on increasing operators' revenues, from which they receive a share. Of course Apple also sell content (i.e. apps, music, videos), but they benefit from higher network revenues, while Amazon don't. So Apple probably have no interest in making data roaming cheaper. Further operators are Apples most important distribution channel, since due to the high price of the iPhone most of them are sold subsidized on contract. If Apple started their own MVNO-product they would compete with their largest customers which is likely to have an impact on sales and as you might now mobile network service is a quite unattractive low-margin business.
So I consider it rather unlikely that Apple might start their own mobile network service, allthough that would fit into their strategy of capturing the whole value chain.