T-Mobile Gets iPhone
September 19, 2007
Deutsche Telekom said on Wednesday, Sep. 19, that the prized Apple phone would be available to German consumers starting Nov. 9 and would cost 399 euros ($555). Apple fans will only be allowed to buy the gadget by using the T-Mobile provider, Telekom's mobile phone subsidiary.
T-Mobile will also receive distribution rights to the iPhone in the Netherlands and Austria.
Important boost to Telekom
The move gives Telekom an important role in introducing the iPhone to the European market. According to reports, Apple plans to sell around one million iPhones in Europe by the end of the year.
The eight-gigabyte iPhone allows users to make calls, browse the Internet, check e-mail and play songs and videos, all by running their fingers over touch-sensitive screen.
The iPhone is considered an important component of Telekom's strategy to lure back younger customers. The company recently introduced a new mobile phone brand, Congstar, which deliberately avoids using Telekom's name and image as it has a reputation of being old-fashioned among young consumers.
However, consumer protection groups in Germany have criticized Apple's strategy to give the iPhone to just one single provider. Some have pointed out that customers of other mobile phone providers will have to change their provider to T-Mobile if they want to buy the iPhone and accept their existing tariffs.
iPhone could have tougher time in Europe
The much-hyped iPhone had its worldwide launch in the United States in late June ahead of its hotly anticipated European launch. The iPhone has already been a hit in the US where Apple has sold over one million phones.
On Tuesday, Apple announced that Britain will become the first European nation to get the new iPhone after operator O2, owned by Spain's Telefonica, won an exclusive deal with the US giant. In France, the Orange unit of France Telecom is to distribute the iPhone.
Analysts however expect the iPhone to have a tougher time breaking into the European market. Some are disappointed that the iPhone to be sold in Europe is identical to the one in the US which means it will be unable to take advantage of faster European wireless networks for Web browsing and media downloads.