Apple and T-Mobile today announced that T-Mobile, the leading network operator in Germany, will be the exclusive German carrier of Apple’s revolutionary iPhone when it makes its debut in Germany on November 9. iPhone combines three devices into one—a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the best mobile Internet device ever—all based on Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the U.S. on June 29.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with T-Mobile to bring the iPhone to Germany,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “Customer response to iPhone in the US has been incredible, and we can’t wait to introduce T-Mobile customers to the most revolutionary mobile device on the planet.”
“We are convinced that we can get our customers excited about experiencing the mobile internet with the iPhone,” said Hamid Akhavan, CEO, T-Mobile International, in the press release. “I am proud that Apple and T-Mobile have become partners. The best mobile device currently on the market will soon be operating on the best network in the country.”
In addition to all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, iPhone users in Germany will have access to Apple’s latest music offerings on iPhone including the recently launched iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on their iPhone. No computer is required and when the customer connects their iPhone back with the PC or Mac, their music automatically syncs back into their iTunes library.
The T-Mobile network will also support iPhone’s unique Visual Voicemail feature, which enables users to immediately randomly access those messages that interest them most.
By the end of 2007, T-Mobile will be the only network operator in Germany to offer EDGE throughout its entire GSM network. EDGE accelerates the mobile data transfer rate to over 220 Kilobits per second, which makes it almost four times as fast as ISDN in fixed-line networks. With EDGE, the German market leader offers its customers 100 percent broadband – anywhere and at any time. With 20,000 HotSpots worldwide, T-Mobile is the biggest Wi-Fi provider in the world. Of those HotSpots, 8,600 are in Germany, where HotSpot users can achieve download speeds of up to 11 megabytes per second.
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 9 and will be sold in Germany through Telekom Shops of Deutsche Telekom and the T-Mobile web shop. iPhone requires a new 2-year T-Mobile tariff and will be available in an 8GB model for €399 including V.A.T. and will work with either a Mac or PC.
iPhone activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a major credit card; the latest version of iTunes available at http://www.itunes.de and a Mac or PC with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition.
T-Mobile International is one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. As one of Deutsche Telekom’s three strategic business units, T-Mobile concentrates on the most dynamic markets in Europe and the United States. Almost 112 million mobile customers were served by companies of the Deutsche Telekom group by June 30, 2007. The common technology platform is based on GSM, the world’s most successful digital wireless standard. This also makes T-Mobile the only mobile communications provider with a seamless transatlantic service.
That was so fast, after the UK announcement. Will France follow tomorrow?
I do not really like it that Apple “chooses” our phone operator.
Maybe the date of nine-eleven (since november 9th is written as 9/11 in most of Europe) is not choosen @ random?
Sorry Apple, I will stick to the nokia communicator phones, which work with any phone operator I would like to choose.
But continue to innovate. Show us great products. And give me finally an ultra light macbook pro (look for sony to see how it’s done).
those speeds are more than my cable speed from Shaw Cable (Canada)
I am sad that in Canada and the US in that matter, live in the stone ages when it comes to the Internet….
Man that sucks!!! it should have been t mobile USA!!!
> look for sony to see how it’s done
You must be joking.
So, do phones in Europe have to be sold unlocked or was that just some urban legend?
Otherwise, so goes Deutschland, so goes Europe.
Deutschland über alles.
This sounds just like all the chatter in the US before the iphone was launched here. Gripe! Gripe! Speculate. Speculate.
Then they put the phone on the market and they sold like mad.
While I admit that Europe is a different market and the lack of 3G is unfortunate, that really isn’t the point.
It’s the UE not the UI.
The user experience on the iPhone is much more revolutionary that the UI. People can say all they want, and then they hold one and use it …. then they buy. (Point Set Match)
Dude, look at the Germany announcement. Is there another network with so many wifi hotspots? Is there another Germany operator with full EDGE compatibility?
If Apple chose your operator, at least it chose the best one, the one that provides the widest service. You go ahead and buy your Nokia, it’s your choice to use an inferior service if you like, but don’t diss Apple because they chose the best operator for Germany.
I want T-Mobile USA to carry iPhones!
It should not escape notice that November 9th is John Lennon’s birthday.
@ Porge: T-mobile has a great network in Germany. A shit network in the USA. For all of AT&T;’s shortcomings it was still the better choice.
I do laugh at the marketing speak about EDGE: “With EDGE, the German market leader offers its customers 100 percent broadband”
Synthmeister that is Belgium you are thing of, not the entire EU.
Is the “iphone” pronounced “eee”-phone in German?
And Germans don´t even have a “ph” sound… Telephone is written Telefon…
Are there many free wi-fi spots in Germany???
“wi-fi spots in Germany”
Vouldn’t that be vee-fee schpots? (j/k)
To those wondering about 9/11 etc.bla:
November 9th has always been a special date in German history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/November_9th
1918
1923
1938
1989
…
2007 – iPhone
Oops, sorry.
John Lennon’s birthday was actually October 9th.
Fine Beatles fan I am!
T-Mobile was great when I had it. Oh, except for when I wanted to use my mobile phone in my house.
Thank you Apple for choosing AT&T;in The States.
NO Language: Is the “iphone” pronounced “eee”-phone in German?
No, it’s pronounced exactly the same. The german transliteration would be “Eifon”.
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NO Language: And Germans don´t even have a “ph” sound…
Nonsense. The ph has always stood for the same sound as f (it is even being replaced with an f in the new “official” spelling in many words right about now such as Delphin -> Delfin).
Mike:
November 9th is also the date in 1918 when Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany abdicated after the German Revolution, and Germany was proclaimed a Republic.
And on November 9th, 1848, Robert Blum, a German revolutionary was executed in Vienna.
And on November 9th, 1923 in Munich, Germany, police and government troops crushed the Beer Hall Putsch in Bavaria.
Coincidences? Ich weiß nicht!
Oops, sorry Mike. But I’m sure October 9th is special too!
NO language,
I guess, you’d have to spell it “eiFon” for Germany. The “ph” is clearly dying in German, with the reformed spelling rules that were imposed on us by a government commission, some years ago. The “ph” is now restricted to personal names, city names and such. The marine mammal is now spelt “Delfin” (shudder!), but the ancient Greek oracle site is still spelt “Delphi”, although the former is derived from the latter. It’s a big mess and nobody really masters the new rules because they are inconsistent. Actually, I prefer to write in English these days, it’s much easier.
So much for Rip Off Britain, turns out it is cheaper in the UK than Germany!
eiFon — is that sunny-side up or one over easy?
Ein bißchen Speck und zwei vollkorn Brötchen wäre auch gut.
Mmmm, bacon.