“Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile unit said Wednesday it will offer Apple Inc’s iPhone without a contract in Germany to comply with a court injunction issued after Vodafone challenged its exclusive lock on the device,” Aude Lagorce reports for MarketWatch
“T-Mobile will start selling the phone without a contract for 999 euros ($1,480) and continue to offer it at 399 euros when purchased with a two-year commitment, the company said in a press release,” Lagorce reports. “The ‘unlocked’ phone will function on networks other than T-Mobile’s.”
MacDailyNews Take: How much they will function beyond just making phone calls is another story.
Lagorce continues, “T-Mobile said customers can now have the so-called SIM lock on their phone removed — including those who have already purchased the iPhone.”
Full article here.
Ivar Simensen reports for The Financial Times that T-Mobile will “continue to offer the handset for €399 plus a minimum two-year contract with T-Mobile, DT’s mobile phone division, starting at €49 a month.”
“Apple has entered exclusive contracts with operators to sell the iPhone with the leading mobile phone operator in several countries, on condition that the phones are dedicated to one network and the US company gets a cut of revenues,” Simensen reports. “However, national laws in some countries prevent the US technology company from entering such exclusive contracts.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Linux Guy And Mac Prodigal Son" for the heads up.]
Color Apple unaffected, except for more free iPhone publicity. Steve Jobs really should send a thank you letter to Vodafone, who’ve just cast iPhone as even more desirable. At that price, you’ve really, really, really got to want an official unlocked iPhone. The unofficial iPhone unlockers won’t even break a sweat over this development, yet.
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