The Apple iPhone will be coming to Canada some time this year Rogers Communications Inc. announced Tuesday.
Although no details were given as to when Canadians can expect to see the phone in stores or how much it will cost, the promise of its availability will please many consumers who have been eagerly awaiting its arrival.
Since the multimedia-enabled phone was launched in the US in June 2007 it has made its way onto shelves in the UK, Germany and France and was last month released in Ireland and Austria.
In the last year thousands of Canadians have purchased iPhones from the US and had them unlocked in Canada to work on the Rogers wireless network, the only Canadian GSM operator and thus only option for iPhone users.
The iPhone, which has internet capabilities, a touch screen with a virtual keyboard and built-in iPod, was named Time magazine’s invention of the year in 2007.
“We’re thrilled to announce that we have a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Canada later this year,” president and chief executive Ted Rogers said in a release. “We can’t tell you any more about it right now, but stay tuned.”
The announcement came alongside news that Rogers more than doubled their first-quarter profits thanks to an increase in cable and internet service subscribers.
Rogers reported net earnings of $344 million or 54 cents per share compared with a profit of $170 million or 26 cents per share one year ago.
Rogers also reported its revenue grew 14 per cent to $2.6 billion.
