Apple and T-Mobile to sell iPhone in Germany
From Apple's site: the winner is T-Mobile.
http://www.apple.com/de/iphone/
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/
http://www.apple.com/de/iphone/
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/
Comments
This bodes well for the iPhone. I suspect that Apple is purposefully phasing the roll-out in order to gain experience and ramp up production/support at a manageable pace. By releasing the iPhone in even more countries, it means that Apple is already comfortable in managing their current iPhone business.
Hell, they've made it look downright easy to jump into an already saturated mobile market.
"We're thrilled to be partnering with T-Mobile to bring the iPhone to Germany,"Â*said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. "Customer response to iPhone in the US has been incredible, and we can't wait to introduce T-Mobile customers to theÂ*most revolutionary mobile device on the planet."
iPhone customers in Germany will be treated to the same iPhone activation experience as US customers, where they can use Apple's iTunes software to get the device up and running on T-Mobile's network from the comfort and privacy of their own home or office, rather than wait on long lines at the store.
In addition, Germany customers will also receive all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, including access to Apple's recently launched iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store.
"We are convinced that we can get our customers excited about experiencing the mobile internet with the iPhone," saidÂ* Hamid Akhavan, CEO, T-Mobile International. "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."Â*
The T-Mobile network will also support iPhoneÂ?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, Apple said. With 20,000 HotSpots worldwide, T-Mobile is also 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.Â*
Pricing & Availability
iPhoneÂ*is scheduled to goÂ*on sale on November 9 and will be sold in Germany through Telekom Shops of Deutsche Telekom and the T-Mobile web shop.Â*iPhone requires a new 2-year T-Mobile tariff and will be available in an 8GB model forÂ*Â?399 including V.A.T. and will work with either a PC or Mac.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Anyway, yes, more countries is good. Now how about Canada? (Bloody Rogers, maybe the most evil telecom in the world.)
I personally think these exclusive carrier deals are going to go over like a lead balloon in the EU (if they're even legal there), but we'll see. And what do these carrier deals mean for people roaming between different EU nations?
It's puzzling that they didn't use T-Mobile in the UK though. Unlike O2, T-mobile already had a partly enabled EDGE network and unlimited data plans. They also have their own hotspots.
They should have just went with T-Mobile all over the place. Like it said they have the most HotSpots and especially with T-Mobile testing their WiFi phones that make internet calls when you are home. I think the iPhone would have been the perfect device to harness that technology. Its too bad because I really think they would have made a better partnership and gave T-Mobile what it needed to bust open.
Plus I'm a loyal US T-Mobile customer and the thought of switching to att for 2 years bothers the hell out of me.
I personally think these exclusive carrier deals are going to go over like a lead balloon in the EU (if they're even legal there), but we'll see. And what do these carrier deals mean for people roaming between different EU nations?
Yes, I was thinking that this morning too. I'd be surprised if there's not some consumer body in one of the countries not complain it's locked to one carrier per country.
Roaming-wise, even if you're on t-mobile UK and roam in t-mobile DE's network you'll pick up international roaming charges. These however are limited by law across the whole of the EU to ?0.49 for making calls and ?0.24 for receiving calls (excluding VAT).
If you're in your own country then usually you don't pay for incoming.
It's puzzling that they didn't use T-Mobile in the UK though. Unlike O2, T-mobile already had a partly enabled EDGE network and unlimited data plans. They also have their own hotspots.
I think Apple is trying to avoid the "monopoly" stigma by working with different partners in different countries.
Had Apple used tMobile(german) for all of Europe, I can guarantee you the other carriers would have pushed for an antitrust investigation.
So in Germany they will you a german carrier, in the UK they will use a british carrier and in France they will use a french carrier...keep the locals happy.
They should have just went with T-Mobile all over the place.
Problem is : No T-Mobile in France, Spain, Italy etc etc
T-Mobile's footprint is substantially smaller then -say- Vodafone. I guess Apple is hedging their bets as well. With the major three on board they can have a pan european footprint -and- to some extend still try to play them against each other (Spain as Telefonica and Orange for instance)
I was pretty sure the rumour was that Apple was shooting for UK/Germany/France (France tomorrow?) and possibly Spain (O2 = Spain's Telefonica), with the rest of Europe following as soon as possible.
Anyway, yes, more countries is good. Now how about Canada? (Bloody Rogers, maybe the most evil telecom in the world.)
The whole of Europe will be impossible as some countries have laws that strictly forbid ANY locking to a particular carrier. Without an exclusive offer with a carrier in these countries Apple will not garnish any revenue from monthly dues.
Rogers with an unlimited data plan at a decent price? Yeah, I don't think the iPhone will be in Canada anytime soon.
PS: The article was vague. Are German iPhone users being allowed free access to the 8.600 T-Mobile HotSpots?
The most important thing was not mentioned. No word about tariffs.
Check the last line of the article: "...iPhone requires a new 2-year T-Mobile tariff..."
The whole of Europe will be impossible as some countries have laws that strictly forbid ANY locking to a particular carrier. Without an exclusive offer with a carrier in these countries Apple will not garnish any revenue from monthly dues.
I would imagine they're making a profit from the sale of the handset alone without the profit sharing from the carrier.
The whole of Europe will be impossible as some countries have laws that strictly forbid ANY locking to a particular carrier. Without an exclusive offer with a carrier in these countries Apple will not garnish any revenue from monthly dues.
Ever considered the other alternative : No iPhone in that country.
I am sure that here in Belgium we will see it not before 2010, as subsidies AND locking AND combined offers are illegal.
Offering the phone in Belgium would mean free exports to other countries via eBay. Mind you if that should happen - I stand to make a few buck
Time to get cracking on the eBay score
Since T-Mobile Germany is the provider, would iPhones bought in Germany that are subsequently unlocked be able to make use of the Visual Voicemail feature on T-Mobile USA's network, I wonder?
Visual Voicemail works like an email server but stores voice messages. There would be no reason for T-Mobile in the US to have these voice servers installed. So my speculative answer is no.
You people here seem to see things so clearly that Apple is taking a big risk and maybe nobody will buy their iPhones. Yet Apple should have a lot of statistics and such to figure whether the iPhone will be a success or not overseas. Some analysts agree Apple will sell millions iPhones overseas, yet others think they won't sell many at all. How can people that do research be so far off target.
I got a big laugh that Apple was going to boost iPhone production by a fairly huge amount and I guess that was already figured into the stock price. So Apple is already boosting production for Europe and doesn't even know if people will buy it. What a puzzle.