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Report: T-Mobile wins exclusive rights for Apple iPhone In Germany

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 · 4:12 pm · 41 Comments

“Deutsche Telekom’s mobile phone unit T-Mobile clinched a deal to bring Apple’s iPhone handset to Germany, according to a report in a German daily,” Reuters reports.

“Without citing sources, the Rheinische Post said in a preview of a story to be published on Wednesday that T-Mobile is expected to sell the iPhone exclusively with a T-Mobile contract for around €450 euros ($612) starting Nov 1,” Reuters reports.

“Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile were not immediately available for comment,” Reuters reports.

Full article here.

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Comment Feed

41 Comments

1 2 3 Next »

observer

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:17 pm · Reply

Interesting choice of title: “T-Mobile wins.”

Guess this implies Verizon in the US is a looser for turning Apple down.
infomercials

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:19 pm · Reply

Apple spreading the wealth.
ken1w

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:23 pm · Reply

That should make it easier to take iPhone to T-Mobile in the U.S. once the exclusivity arrangement with AT&T is over. Apple’s playing it smart.
benjamin

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:31 pm · Reply

I wonder if these t-mobile iphones will work in the US..
Viktor

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:36 pm · Reply

I just read that Carlos Slim Helu (America Movil, Telcel, Telmex and others) has became the richest man in the world passing Bill Gates with more than 10,000 millions thanks to the gain on America Movil shares. If apple get a deal for Telcel or America Movil to be the exclusive Phone for America, that margin will grow to the sky.
Crabapple

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:54 pm · Reply

@ benjamin European 3G enabled iphones will be illegal in America unless Apple pay to licence the 3G chip for use in America.

In Europe the issue of 3G is not an issue, it would not have been an issue if the greedy bastards who have incorporated the 3G chip into their carriers handsets would just fork out for a licence instead of bleating to be allowed to keep using the proprietary hardware for free until the end of the year, when they hope to ditch the 3G chip in contention and use an alternative system like the iphone.
Midnight

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 4:56 pm · Reply

MDN Magic Word: “Lies”. Heh.

I’ll believe it once we see official confirmation by Apple or T-Mobile. Just a few days ago, Vodafone was touted as the absolutely sure exclusive carrier. Now it’s suddenly T-Mobile.

There’s a battle to the death going on behind the scenes right now, but we’ll see maybe tomorrow who emerges as the bloodied but triumphant winner.
Hanz und Franz

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:18 pm · Reply

Don´t have to worry about any long lines at Apple Stores in Germany for the iPhone….
Because there are NO Apple stores in Germany.
Scouse Mouse

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:29 pm · Reply

I hope they don’t get ‘exclusivity’ here in the UK. T-Mobile are awful in Liverpool, I hardly got a signal in the 8 days I had the phone.

When I went to return it and cancel my contract T-Mobile had the cheek to say I couldn’t cancel their contract.

After a couple of tense hours they finally agreed that I didn’t have a good signal and cancelled.

It has to be 02 or Vodafone (but only if Voda refrain from putting their logo all over the iPhone), they’re the best networks I’ve used, and they even work in the Welsh Valleys!
Petey

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:31 pm · Reply

This is very interesting, so it seems there will be different carriers for each country in Europe.

It seems Apple is following the same strategy that it did for setting up iTunes with the record labels in Europe.

I think this is very wise as there isnt one carrier that can provide total Europe wide coverage.
Petey

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:36 pm · Reply

I think it will either be Orange (France Telecom), O2 and Vodaphone for England.

I’m hoping its O2 as I dont really wanna change my carrier and im getting really cheap calls from them.

But personally, I think Orange will get the deal because of the size of the company and the excellent UK nationwide coverage. Orange also have masses of branded stores in the UK too, they are literally on every high street in the UK and would help sell shitoads of iPhones.

So I think it will be Orange for the Apple deal.
Daner

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:53 pm · Reply

@Crabapple
Other Euro 3G SIM cards work just fine in the US using contracted local providers, but not necessarily in 3G mode. It depends on the contracting provider and the local coverage. When no 3G network is available they just go back to the next best available protocol (HSPDA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM)

US iPhones are limited to AT&T, and AT&T has no 3G network. It remains to be seen whether the Euro versions will have 3G hardware and less restrictive SIM compatibility standards.

At this point all 3G phones that I’ve seen are bulkier, heavier and have considerably poorer battery life (at least when operated in 3G mode) than their non-3G counterparts. That having been said, the amount of 3G coverage here in Europe is considerably higher than in the US, and just about all networks that Apple might reasonably consider going with here offer at least some 3G coverage. They had valid reasons not to include it on the US versions, but they have especially compelling reasons to include it in Asia. Europe falls between those two extremes both when it comes to the relative importance of 3G as well as Apple’s own timeline for release.
Mr. Reeee

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:54 pm · Reply

CURSES!!!!

Why, O, WHY couldn’t T-Mobile USA work with the iPhone, too?!?!?!!?
MacSmiley

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:55 pm · Reply

Verizon and Sprint did not get a contract with Apple because they do not have a GSM network.
RC

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:56 pm · Reply

Too bad they didn’t win in the US too…
Markim

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 5:56 pm · Reply

Just if you wonder why the iPhone costs so much more in Germany than in the US: 19 % tax is included in the price. So the price actually translates to $514 before tax.
j.j

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 6:06 pm · Reply

sounds good. I’ll ditch my blackberry 8800/Tmobile as soon as the iPhone supports GPS, UMTS, Push and some other essential basics it currently lacks. RIM makes some hideous GUIs but even so it’s by far the best smartphone I’ve ever used. Handling emails has always been a winner with RIMs phones. I still have my doubts how i could possibly type faster than I currently do with the 8800 – but I’ll give it shot when the next iPhone revision is out.
just me

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 6:14 pm · Reply

if Apple is indeed giving different contract to different EU countries, they will be in deep doodoo with the EU. I believe they are supposed to offer same plan throughout the whole EU
Chris

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 6:17 pm · Reply

T-mobile and AT&T are the most dominate. Now Bring iPhone to T-mobile here and the U.S., and I’m an iPhone buyer.

Look, AT&T already had trouble keeping up with the new additions to it’s service since iPhone debuted, and it’s coverage isn’t the best. T-mobile is second best with decent coverage, phones, plans, and customer satisfaction. So WHY NOT?
R

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - 6:46 pm · Reply

This has long term implications, as well. After the five year agreement with AT&T is over, other companies will already be familiar with the tech requirements Apple phones will require on their networks. Any changes will either have already been made, or will be far easier to roll out.