Contest hints at Canadian iPhone release date?

A giveaway from Canadian brewer Molson may provide a hint as to when the iPhone will be available in the country. The Devisse et Compte (translating to "Twist and Score") contest for French-speaking Canadians lists the iPhone as one of the available prizes and claims the device will be available exclusively from Rogers Wireless in January of next year. The price of the phone is listed as $800 Canadian ($828 US) but is known to be an arbitrary value relating to the nature of the contest, which asks entrants to pick one or more potential prizes that reach a set spending limit. No subscription fees are included with the device, however.

Despite the lack of an official announcement by either Apple or Rogers, the iPhone in question would be a legitimate offering rather than an unlocked model, according to checks with customer service agents by both Electronista and Mobile in Canada. The Rogers version will require a contract to be used, though Molson did not have details as to the length or features of the term, which may vary significantly from past iPhone deals. Most Canadian cellular providers, including Rogers, offer the choice of a three-year contract for their devices (versus a maxmimum two years for American firms) and typically encourage these agreements over shorter terms. Rogers in particular has also drawn criticism in recent months for excessive data plan rates which many believe would preclude bringing the iPhone to Canada. Apple has so far demanded unlimited Internet access plans in each country scheduled to use the iPhone.

No clues were provided as to when the purported official announcement would occur, though the contest is scheduled to end on January 4th. Molson warned that the phone would not be functional until Rogers officially activated iPhone service for all customers, which is expected to be sometime that same month.