Bad news for Austrailian iPhone lovers; you won’t be seeing an iPhone any time this year. Telstra’s higher-ups believe that a bit of caution is needed with this product, citing that Apple is not a phone maker.

They went on to describe how the iPhone didn’t really have many new features to offer, and that other companies such as Nokia and Samsung will likely have similar offerings anyway. One good point that he did make is that some consumers may be wary of the non-replaceable battery that comes with it.

I think it is unwise to intentionally hold off on releasing a product until it has been out on the market for some time. Yes, there may be issues that need to be worked out initially, but the customer should decide whether or not they want to be an early adopter.

Telstra: iPhone no great shakes [via zdnet]