Smart gets exclusive; Globe gets first dibs

After reading the two press releases from Smart and Globe as well as talking to several tech journalists today, I finally figured out the confusion on the HTC Magic announcement.

Smart Communications snagged the exclusive deal with HTC to offer the phone in the Philippines. This deal has a locked-in period of 2 years. Smart Communications will start shipping units of the Android-powered HTC Magic to the local market by the end of the month (end of June 2009 or July 1, 2009).

htc magic

Since that date is “yet to come”, Globe Telecom was able to start selling the HTC Magic since Friday of last week (June 12, 2009). That means, between June 12 to 30, 2009, Globe can still offer the phone to its subscribers (assuming the official exclusive contract between Smart and HTC starts on July 1).

After that short period, Smart will have exclusive rights to offer the HTC Magic in the Philippines. (Update: See Smart subscriber price for the HTC Magic here.)

Hope this clears up the confusion between the two telcos.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

28 Comments

Kelvin Servigon says:

16 years ago

lumalaban na smart sa globe pagdating sa mga exclusive phones ah… ^_^
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Olyver Digg says:

16 years ago

wow.. this industry is getting more interesting than ever… hopefully we’ll get better services in the furture like better 3G…
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rjca says:

16 years ago

Globe users should snag one now then!
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adbritepays says:

16 years ago

Iphone should have been on Smart because their 3G Network is a lot faster than globe’s.
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calvin says:

16 years ago

hahaha … smart got c*ckblocked by globe. i don’t think lalaban pa yung globe sa smart pagdating sa 3G. sa Wimax na lang sila magfofocus.

sorry for that comment. i just had to write it. :P
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Anonymous says:

16 years ago

@adbritepays – hopefully iPhone 3G S can also be with Smart, so people can be able to choose between these two telcos.

iPhone 3G Smart, just kidding around.
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Doc Harry says:

16 years ago

I’m thinking unlocked G2’s will be easier and cheaper to bring in than iPhones. Globe might still benefit from a G2 popularity increase IF it ever does become popular.
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Andrew Gomez says:

16 years ago

Globe has more high end subscribers than Smart although Smart has wider coverage than Globe that’s why Apple preferred Globe for Iphone.
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mike says:

16 years ago

well the bottom line for me atleast will always be the price. I hope smart can release their prices earlier hehe ^^
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beadfreak says:

16 years ago

Nothing beats Globe on being the first
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PC Domination says:

16 years ago

if your a globe user, better get one now before its too late…
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boowee says:

16 years ago

Sana nilabas muna yung G1. Mas gusto ko yung may qwerty keyboard… parang gossip girl lang… “Spot It!” Hahaha.

Pero seriously, sana may G1 and G2 na available sa Philippine market. Mas gusto ko talaga yung may qwerty keyboard.
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Andre Marcelo-Tanner says:

16 years ago

yeah G2! smart rocks :) sana cheap
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Nino Natividad says:

16 years ago

Another Smart-Globe talk. Sa tingin nyo, sino kaya ang the better? :)

Nino Natividad
http://www.ninonatividad.com
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Eka says:

16 years ago

Wow, talk about competition! Is it possible na Smart can bid for an exclusive contract for the iPhone 3G S, if this is what’s happening right w/ HTC?
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Eka says:

16 years ago

Wow, talk about competition! Is it possible na Smart can bid for an exclusive contract for the iPhone 3G S, if this is what’s happening w/ HTC right now?
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berto de los santos says:

16 years ago

I think Globe better concentrate on their landlines. In the mobile phone sector they lose all battles to Smart.
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culdado says:

16 years ago

@ calvin – san makakagawa ng ganyang avatar.. i have seen some na in other sites.. just dont know where it can be done.. thanks!
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beadfreak says:

16 years ago

@eka
Globe will be bringing the iPhone 3Gs and i’ve heard it is cheaper than the iPhone when it was first launch here
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Eka says:

16 years ago

@beadfreak: Sana mag dilang anghel ka. I’ve been lemming for an iPhone.
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Art Samaniego says:

16 years ago

Locked-in period of 2 years? Do you think people would still be interested with the HTC Magic three or even two months from now?

Naka-isa ang Globe dito, Smart should investigate bakit babagal-bagal mga tao nila :).
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genriq says:

16 years ago

OT: Globe has the exclusive right to iPhone because of Singtel.
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Mark Jason says:

15 years ago

Okay lang yan Globe. Madami pa namang dadating na touch phones eh. Madali lang malaos yang HTC Magic since a lot of new models are yet to come.
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Jm says:

15 years ago

Dapat lang s smart mapunta ang mga ganyang klase ng phone kasi ang 3G coverage nla ay d hamak n mas malawak at mabilis,., kaya nga nakipgpartner n ang globe s WIMAX kc d nla mabgyan ng mgandang 3G coverage ang mga subscribers nla..
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androidDeveloperPhils says:

15 years ago

We’ll im selling my own Google ION Brand got it from GOOGLE IO interested?
- Reply
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14 years ago

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