Apple inks exclusive iPhone deals in UK, France & Germany - report

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple Inc. has reached an agreement with three separate European wireless carriers to act as exclusive iPhone partners in the UK, France and Germany, the Financial Times is reporting.



Citing people familiar with the matter, the financial paper said T-Mobile of Germany, Orange of France and O2 in the UK, have each in recent days signed agreements that afford them exclusive rights to market the Apple handset to customers within those respective nations.



In return, the Cupertino-based electronics maker has reportedly succeeded in committing the phone operators to fork over 10 percent of the revenues made from calls and data transfers by customers using iPhones.



"The deal gives manufacturers of handsets for the first time a direct share of the revenues a mobile phone operator makes from calls and data transfers, marking a shift in the relationship between the parties," the Financial Times reported.



Thus far, mobile operators have campaigned fiercely against such an approach. However, experts told the Times that Apple?s success in securing the deals could spur other handset manufacturers to try to secure similar terms.



All three of the European wireless carriers are said to be hoping for a significant boost in their image from the exclusive deal with Apple, as well as a pool of attractive customers with high rates of spending on calls and data transfers.



Among the tactics used by Apple to lured the mobile operators, according to the Times, was the prospect of a financially risk-free business -- as it will not allow for common subsidies on the sale of handsets.



The operators will reportedly announce the partnerships at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin, which runs August 31st through September 5th.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 105
    I wonder how much it cost Apple, Moto, Samsung, HTC to make these phones. I'd love to see direct sales at a subsidized price. If they all start asking for some of the phone/data money from these Cellular companies, I predict major problems ahead.
  • Reply 2 of 105
    It's good to see these deals done. There are several questions that do come up, however.



    People in Europe travel between countries a lot, just like people in the US travel between states. Will someone who is a UK iPhone owner have transparent use of their iPhone in Germany & France without huge roaming fees?



    Also, has Apple ensured that US owners will have effective use of their iPhones in these countries - even if it means switching out the SIM card? I wold hope that Apple is taking a very universal approach in this area.



    The European price is going to be higher because the US Sales Tax is included in the price, not added on to the purchase price at the cash register. (A far more effective approach in my opinion,) Hopefully Apple will be able to keep pricing fairly close to the US costs when taxes are considered, especially with the Dollar being as weak as it is.
  • Reply 3 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kenaustus View Post


    I

    People in Europe travel between countries a lot, just like people in the US travel between states.



    Not really.
  • Reply 4 of 105
    The family & friends I have in the UK do - makes me rather envious!



    One other interesting bit from the Financial times - they are saying that ATT has a 2 years agreement with Apple, not a 5 year agreement we have been reading about. If that's the case then the T-Mobile agreement in Germany might provide T-Mobile in the US with a load of insight when the ATT agreement expires.
  • Reply 5 of 105
    O2 is Balls, Yeah?
  • Reply 6 of 105
    Yeah. Yeah?
  • Reply 7 of 105
    drnatdrnat Posts: 142member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by waytogobuddy View Post


    O2 is Balls, Yeah?



    None are any better than the others in reality.



    Customer Service is not a strong point really for any of them.



    Quality of reception & coverage is location dependent - where I live O2 is best - have tried vodafone & orange here as well.



    3G coverage is sketchy for them all but improving quickly - supposedly O2 is lagging here but not found it a particular problem personally - only use it for the internet & not video confrencing.
  • Reply 8 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kenaustus View Post


    People in Europe travel between countries a lot, just like people in the US travel between states. Will someone who is a UK iPhone owner have transparent use of their iPhone in Germany & France without huge roaming fees?



    Also, has Apple ensured that US owners will have effective use of their iPhones in these countries - even if it means switching out the SIM card? I wold hope that Apple is taking a very universal approach in this area.



    The European price is going to be higher because the US Sales Tax is included in the price, not added on to the purchase price at the cash register. (A far more effective approach in my opinion,) Hopefully Apple will be able to keep pricing fairly close to the US costs when taxes are considered, especially with the Dollar being as weak as it is.



    As it is now the consumers allready pay roaming prices when they travel abroad within EU. The price off course depends on the agrrements between the (inter)national partners. But as we are speaking the European Commission is working on a proposal to secure lower rates for the consumers when they cross the borders within EU.



    I don't know how big a saying Apple has on the tariffs the company will charge their customers. The competition is so fierce anyway so that the tele-company can't afford to charge to high tariffs. The prices differ, though, quite substantially from country to country in EU so in that sence it would be close to impossible to set a uniform price, especially if one take into account that the VAT differs across countries.



    Regarding taking a US iPhone to use in EU by switching SIM-card I would think it should be done by a small software upgrade (but I don't have any tech bagground to back that up - it's a guess)
  • Reply 9 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bluedalmatian View Post


    Not really.



    What does that mean? That you don't? Don't confuse yourself with everyone else, i am sure the original poster did not say "everyone moves between countries" just that people do. And yes many people do for work and for pleasure.
  • Reply 10 of 105
    Oh Canada....sigh \
  • Reply 11 of 105
    fishafisha Posts: 126member
    Quote:

    People in Europe travel between countries a lot, just like people in the US travel between states. Will someone who is a UK iPhone owner have transparent use of their iPhone in Germany & France without huge roaming fees?



    i think you'll certainly have transparent use of voice and basic sms messaging . . . phones from Orange and T-Mobile in the UK normally come carrier-locked, but still happily roam the EU.





    There was also a recent directive to drastically reduce the roaming charges around the EU ( which were extortionate ).





    I doubt though that you'll get the more advanced voicemail features and things . . . but thats no biggie.
  • Reply 12 of 105
    Canada, please.
  • Reply 13 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kenaustus View Post


    The European price is going to be higher because the US Sales Tax is included in the price, not added on to the purchase price at the cash register. (A far more effective approach in my opinion,)



    What are you talking about? I - and every other US retail customer - paid plenty of sales tax at the register.
  • Reply 14 of 105
    noirdesirnoirdesir Posts: 1,027member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mgabrys View Post


    What are you talking about? I - and every other US retail customer - paid plenty of sales tax at the register.



    In Europe, the advertised price is always the price including the VAT.
  • Reply 15 of 105
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mgabrys View Post


    What are you talking about? I - and every other US retail customer - paid plenty of sales tax at the register.





    The poster was referring to the fact that instead of the price being advertised without the sales tax it will be included in the advertised price.



    For example in my city:

    iPhone starting at $499



    NOT iPhone starting at $536.42
  • Reply 16 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kenaustus View Post




    The European price is going to be higher because the US Sales Tax is included in the price, not added on to the purchase price at the cash register. (A far more effective approach in my opinion,) Hopefully Apple will be able to keep pricing fairly close to the US costs when taxes are considered, especially with the Dollar being as weak as it is.



    I am guessing you have just made a mistake and got this the wrong way round!!



    In Europe sales tax is included with the price, you pay what is on the label. In the US however it has been my experience that sales tax is paid at the register over and above the ticket price.
  • Reply 17 of 105
    Bolx... O2 suck. I was really hoping for Orange or Voda in the UK. O2, come on Apple, why? Just because they were willing to bend the most? Think of your customers once please.



    An iPhone was a certain until now. If this is true, I will seriously think twice about buying one on O2. I certainly won't be rushing out to be one of the first in the UK like I was planning.
  • Reply 18 of 105
    phizzphizz Posts: 142member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by waytogobuddy View Post


    O2 is Balls, Yeah?



    I'm on O2 - I think they're pretty good - but i think it really does depend on where you are. The only problem I have with them is that MMS messaging does not seem to work at all (tried several handsets). Oh well, that ain't even a potential issue on the iPhone
  • Reply 19 of 105
    noirdesirnoirdesir Posts: 1,027member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by fisha View Post


    There was also a recent directive to drastically reduce the roaming charges around the EU ( which were extortionate ).



    http://ec.europa.eu/information_soci...l/index_en.htm
  • Reply 20 of 105
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phizz View Post


    I'm on O2 - I think they're pretty good - but i think it really does depend on where you are. The only problem I have with them is that MMS messaging does not seem to work at all (tried several handsets). Oh well, that ain't even a potential issue on the iPhone



    This is just one example of O2s crap network.
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