T-Mobile confirms iPhone users on next-gen network will keep legacy data plans
[tweet http://twitter.com/TMobileHelp/status/217994551053393921]
[tweet http://twitter.com/TMobileHelp/status/217994551053393921]
Apple today announced their alliance with German (former) state telco Tmobile for the German market. Tmobile will have EDGE on 100% of its network by the end of 2007 (oh and probably some 3G too?) and of course it has a bazillion Wifi hotspots around the World. No mention of whether or not the iPhone plan with Tmobile will include access at any of them like the UK’s O2’s offering.
The price is a respectable
With Apple set to announce it’s European iPhone strategy later this week, a lot of questions still remain on the specifics of the deal. What we know:
What we’d like to know:
Update – we just got some new intel from Orange
Bet you forgot about ol’ Apple Expo Paris didn’t you? Well, from September 25-29th, 2007, Paris will be LE place to be for Apple aficionados the world over. The Fall event is held at a perfect time for a European iPhone announcements in front of the home crowd – a month ahead of the release.
Additionally, the Eurocentric crowd will likely get their own version of country-specific television shows on iTunes and an expanding iTunes Movies coverage.
Jonny Evans over at Macworld.co.uk has announced that both Vodafone and O2 would be carrying the iPhone in the UK – something we voiced a few months back. The release date has been speculated to be
That is how many O2 reported on the first day of iPhone sales. To put that into perspective, Apple sold 270,000 iPhones in the first weekend in the US. At that point it was an untested product. All of the reviews, mostly positive, have come in and have been taken in by British consumers.
Of course, there are a lot fewer people in the UK than in the US – probably about 1/5th. The weather was also rainy on the day of the opening – which wasn’t a help either (not that the UK is known for its great climate).
There are obviously a lot of hacked iPhones that have trickled into Europe over the last 3 months. That may account for some of the "opening day types" who went abroad and brought them back or bought them from ebay or other unauthorized resellers. The US models, which are reportedly the exact same hardware, cost much less before activation than their European counterparts.
Engadget this morning pointed us to the news that Apple was now only selling iPhones to people with credit cards – no Cash/Check money order. In addition, the limit on phones is now down from 5 to 2 per purchase.
Why?
According to Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris, the official Apple Line is, um:
"Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift," Kerris said. "We’re requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers."
YEOUCH! The 1st 1/2 of that statement would seem to be untrue – there are plenty of iPhones out there no one is complaining of store shelves being bare – in fact, Apple will have to ramp up sales (Europe/Asia help) to meet its 10 million by the end of 2008 forecast.
This one from Setteb.it. Tmobile.de, in their irrational exuberance for the iPad, posted a page with iPad pricing to their Website today but then quickly removed it.
It is interesting that Apple is still selling these through the mobile carrier, since half of the product matrix doesn’t have 3G.
Also, interesting that Tmobile has already begun rolling out their website as Apple said “they’re currently working out deals with providers”. The site didn’t provide what rate the 3G plans would cost Europeans.