T-Mobile USA to Begin Selling Apple Products in 2013

[MacRumors]

In line with analyst speculation from last week, Engadget reports that Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann has just announced at his company's analyst day event that T-Mobile USA will begin selling Apple products in 2013.

The announcement was posted --nearly as an afterthought, oddly enough -- as part of a press release in which Deutsche Telekom spelled out its financial plans through 2015. While the two companies have not explicitly given specifics on which Apple devices we can expect to see in a retail store near you, the timing of the launch will likely correspond with the fourth-largest carrier's LTE launch in 2013.

T-Mobile is currently the only one of the four major U.S. carriers to not offer the iPhone, due at least in part to longstanding incompatibilities between Apple's hardware and the spectrum used by T-Mobile for its fastest data networks. The carrier has, however, been working hard to refarm its spectrum to add compatibility for frequencies supported by the iPhone, and it previously stated that it would be ready for the iPhone by the end of 2012. T-Mobile USA will also be rolling out LTE service for its customers in 2013.

Update: Deutsche Telekom's press release is now available.

The higher investment volume is to be used to roll out the broadband infrastructure in Germany and the United States in particular. In the mobile communications network, this will be done using the state-of-the-art technology LTE. Around EUR 6 billion is earmarked for rolling out the broadband infrastructure in the German fixed network with optical fiber and vectoring between 2013 and 2020. In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.

No further details on exactly which products are included in the deal are available yet, but presumably both the iPhone and iPad will be coming to T-Mobile.

Update 2: Apple has also confirmed to The Loop that it has struck a deal with T-Mobile.

Article Link: T-Mobile USA to Begin Selling Apple Products in 2013

[GeekLawyer]

Very interesting. Wonder if they'll begin as Verizon did; selling WiFi-capable iPads at first with mifi devices.

Or will they jump in with both feet with supported devices; i.e., iPads and iPhones.

[johndoejohndoes]

Too bad the hot girl in their commercials won't come with it

[snarestud940]

Yes!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!

But no 3G in my area. Will the Tmobile phones have it?

[Hakone]

Hot T-Mobile chic holding an iPhone. Whoa indeed.

[TouchMint.com]

This is great news for consumers and developers!

[SmileyBlast!]

Originally Posted by Hakone

Hot T-Mobile chic holding an iPhone. Whoa indeed.

Someone should post a picture.

[ProudLoz]

Oh man, this is great news. T-mobile's unlimited data already has me sold, I'm just waiting to see if I should take my AT&T iPhone 5 over or see if they'll have an iPhone 5 with a different radio chip that will be able to get the other frequencies for their 4G network.

[theBB]

I've got a friend who has switched to T-Mobile with an AT&T smartphone. His impressions around here regarding T-Mobile's data coverage is not very promising in the near term. In less urban areas, it will probably be even more marginal for a long time. It may turn out to be "you get what you pay for" type of deal.

[iGrip]

This is great news. T-Mobile has the capacity to move a significant number of iPhones.

Combined with the news that Apple will be moving production back into the USA, the stock is skyrocketing.

Tim Cook is a freaking genius. Keep it up Tim!

[SpyderBite]

This is just hspa 4g though, right? No LTE yet on T-mobile?

[Minhimalism]

Originally Posted by ProudLoz

Oh man, this is great news. T-mobile's unlimited data already has me sold, I'm just waiting to see if I should take my AT&T iPhone 5 over or see if they'll have an iPhone 5 with a different radio chip that will be able to get the other frequencies for their 4G network.

Your AT&T phone will already be able to rock their LTE when it rolls out but yeah I only pick up 3G/HSPA+ in certain areas.

Could never switch from T-Mobile I'm on 5.99 unlimited data

[chrisrayb]

After years of iPhone bashing, let the hypocritical jock riding begin!

[emeraldringer]

This is great news. In the past I've had Cingular, ATT, and Verizon plans. By far, the best value and fit for me has been my current $30/month T-Mobile prepaid plan.

[lsvtecjohn3]

Good news for everyone on T Mobile that wants an iPhone and the people were T Mobile has good coverage.

[rohitp]

In the past two weeks, I am seeing a lot of 3G connections on my iPhone in Austin with T-Mobile Even got a Facetime call while driving! The coverage is not complete as yet but hey, it's a huge improvement and only a matter of time and nothing beats their pricing.

[DrJohnnyN]

Good news for TMo customers.

[slabwax]

In just the past two days I've seen 3G on my phone. It doesn't seem to last long and the locations seems to be intermittent. But it's a start. So the phones will show up end of Jan or whenever Apple releases the 5S. So now we wait.

[Big Bone]

Well it's about freakn' time! I've been with tmobile for the past 8 years and over the past 4 I've been waiting and waiting for the Iphone and had to put up with this android junk in the mean time.

My Tmobile plan runs out at the end of January and I was going to finally switch to Verizon but it seems that now I have a much more difficult choice to make.

That said I've heard many rumors about tmobile picking up the Iphone so I don't totally believe them.

[Macclone]

Originally Posted by SpyderBite

This is just hspa 4g though, right? No LTE yet on T-mobile?

Good enough for me!

[Beezzy]

Now Tmo will praise the iPhone for being on their network and sales of the Galaxy will drop cause all the sudden Tmobile customers will care for the iPhone now lol

[dampfnudel]

T-Mobile will probably get the 5S which is only 6 months away.

[pnoyblazed]

about time the nation's cheapest mobile carrier hops on the Apple bandwagon

[britboyj]

And I JUST switched to Verizon too... Boo. Too little, too late for me.

[brendu]

This is good for apple, it should help them take some of samsungs market share on tmobile. Currently Samsung has the most appealing products on tmobile.