T-Mobile Relocks iPhone in Germany

[MacRumors]

A German court overturned the temporary injunction issued against T-Mobile requiring it to sell unlocked iPhones in Germany.

Due to the injunction, T-Mobile had been required to offer an unlocked version of the Apple iPhone in Germany. The unlocked iPhone was priced at 999 euro, well above the standard 399 euro price for an iPhone with a two-year T-Mobile contract.

With this reversal, the unlocked iPhone will no longer be available in Germany, though officially unlocked iPhones will still remain available in France.

Article Link

[csimmons]

T-Mobile also said they would unlock the iPhone after the two year contract expires, free of charge.

[mrkramer]

That's too bad they had to relock it. they probably wouldn't have sold many anyway.

[superleccy]

I live in hope that one day, Apple will release an uh-tethered iPhone platform open to developers without any catches.

I think that that day just moved slightly more forwards into the future.

SL

[geeman]

So if you paid the 999 Euro and got an unlocked iPhone, is T-Mobile going to give you the price difference back?

[superleccy]

Originally Posted by geeman

So if you paid the 999 Euro and got an unlocked iPhone, is T-Mobile going to give you the price difference back?

Why should they?
SL

[samh004]

I'll be buying my legitimately unlocked iPhone from France then I guess. Not like I was actually considering paying €999 for a phone though.

I know this is the wrong thread, but can anyone explain the price equation in France. From what I've read, I can buy an iPhone for €399 and pay €100 to unlock it. Simple. €499. So where are people pulling €649/€749 from ?

Originally Posted by geeman

So if you paid the 999 Euro and got an unlocked iPhone, is T-Mobile going to give you the price difference back?

There'll be so few compared to the amount on plans that it wont matter. I can't see them turning around and saying that those customers now need to go back on a plan, it's not an issue to them. Plus it'd cause more hassle that they really don't need.

[Aaargh!]

Originally Posted by samh004

I'll be buying my legitimately unlocked iPhone from France then I guess. Not like I was actually considering paying €999 for a phone though.

I know this is the wrong thread, but can anyone explain the price equation in France. From what I've read, I can buy an iPhone for €399 and pay €100 to unlock it. Simple. €499. So where are people pulling €649/€749 from ?

the 399 is only in combination with a subscription

[gifford]

ah good news (though i expect i stand alone here).

[Beefeater]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

A German court overturned the temporary injunction issued against T-Mobile requiring it to sell unlocked iPhones in Germany.

Due to the injunction, T-Mobile had been required to offer an unlocked version of the Apple iPhone in Germany. The unlocked iPhone was priced at 999 euro, well above the standard 399 euro price for an iPhone with a two-year T-Mobile contract.

With this reversal, the unlocked iPhone will no longer be available in Germany, though officially unlocked iPhones will still remain available in France.

Article Link

Oh I wish T-Mobile could sell the iPhone in the U.S. Anyway I don't think anyone is going to buy at the un-locked price so, don't think it really matters.

[cal6n]

Originally Posted by gifford

ah good news (though i expect i stand alone here).

No, you're not alone. There are plenty of others like you on my list...

[Data]

Why would you want the / a phone to be locked to one carrier ? I see no reason what so ever to be happy about having no choice in that, that just does not make sense.

[phakebrill]

Originally Posted by superleccy

I live in hope that one day, Apple will release an uh-tethered iPhone platform open to developers without any catches.

I think that that day just moved slightly more forwards into the future.

SL

How come? An unlocked version is still available in France and will be by the time the iPhone opens up to developers. Isn't that happening in January?

[theheadguy]

Originally Posted by gifford

ah good news (though i expect i stand alone here).

For the most part your expectations are realistic.

[iBlue]

oh balls!

[superleccy]

Originally Posted by phakebrill

How come? An unlocked version is still available in France and will be by the time the iPhone opens up to developers. Isn't that happening in January?

Sometimes technology moves towards freedom at a slow pace, but it moves nonetheless. After the decision today, Apple and their partner networks just clawed back a little moral high ground. We moved slightly backwards.

Unlocked in just one country in the world in the world and at a significant premium isn't what I meant by "unteathered".

And I'll wait to see what catches Apple impose on the forthcoming "opening to developers" before I celebrate.

SL

[PDE]

Originally Posted by superleccy

Sometimes technology moves towards freedom at a slow pace, but it moves nonetheless. After the decision today, Apple and their partner networks just clawed back a little moral high ground. We moved slightly backwards.

Unlocked in just one country in the world in the world and at a significant premium isn't what I meant by "unteathered".

And I'll wait to see what catches Apple impose on the forthcoming "opening to developers" before I celebrate.

SL

I doubt very much that this will be the last we hear of legal challenges. Locked phones at unlocked prices are totally out of vogue all over the world - just wait until Apple tries to launch these phones in Asia, not to mention other European countries. I sincerely hope that Apple gets burned with this, so that they learn a lesson about the world we live in. The cultural/market ignorance and arrogance they have been showing outside the U.S. is astonishing.

[sokrates]

Originally Posted by PDE

I doubt very much that this will be the last we hear of legal challenges. Locked phones at unlocked prices are totally out of vogue all over the world - just wait until Apple tries to launch these phones in Asia, not to mention other European countries. I sincerely hope that Apple gets burned with this, so that they learn a lesson about the world we live in. The cultural/market ignorance and arrogance they have been showing outside the U.S. is astonishing.

that's ridiculous, 400 euros is a standard price for a subsidized upper class phone, phones such as the Nokia n95 8gb are not cheaper at all (the n95 costs 769€ without a contract) People should stop complaining about everything, no one makes you buy one, if you don't like the terms, DON'T F#§$§% buy it! and besides that, using an unlocked iPhone in europe is pretty much stupid, because you can't fully use it's features and you would get burned on data transfers, the t-mobile deal in germany is totally fair, and I am completely happy with it. (and no, I am no fanboy who worships the ground steve jobs walks on)

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by mrkramer

That's too bad they had to relock it. they probably wouldn't have sold many anyway.

It's not that they HAD to relock it. There were allowed to relock it.

[csimmons]

Originally Posted by gifford

ah good news (though i expect i stand alone here).

No, you do not.

I'm glad that the big corporate whiners known as Vodafone lost in court. Now maybe they can actually compete against T-Mobile instead of trying to sneakily ride the iPhone coattails.

I do wonder where this will leave Debitel, though...

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Originally Posted by sokrates

that's ridiculous, 400 euros is a standard price for a subsidized upper class phone, phones such as the Nokia n95 8gb are not cheaper at all (the n95 costs 769€ without a contract) People should stop complaining about everything, no one makes you buy one, if you don't like the terms, DON'T F#§$§% buy it! and besides that, using an unlocked iPhone in europe is pretty much stupid, because you can't fully use it's features and you would get burned on data transfers, the t-mobile deal in germany is totally fair, and I am completely happy with it. (and no, I am no fanboy who worships the ground steve jobs walks on)

You fail to notice that you can get an N95 for free on most contracts such as a £45+/month, where you get 2-3 times more minutes and texts with unlimited Internet.

You can save just under £200 in 18 months by importing a French unlocked iPhone, having a a different pay monthly subscription which again again has 2-3 times the minutes and texts with unlimited Internet.

[iBlue]

Originally Posted by csimmons

...
I'm glad that the big corporate whiniers known as Vodafone lost in court. Now maybe they can actually compete against T-Mobile instead of trying to sneakily ride the iPhone coattails.
...

Problem with that is everyone loses - the ability to choose their own provider. Big cooperate whiners or not, I think unlocked is better.

[csimmons]

Originally Posted by sokrates

that's ridiculous, 400 euros is a standard price for a subsidized upper class phone, phones such as the Nokia n95 8gb are not cheaper at all (the n95 costs 769€ without a contract) People should stop complaining about everything, no one makes you buy one, if you don't like the terms, DON'T F#§$§% buy it! and besides that, using an unlocked iPhone in europe is pretty much stupid, because you can't fully use it's features and you would get burned on data transfers, the t-mobile deal in germany is totally fair, and I am completely happy with it. (and no, I am no fanboy who worships the ground steve jobs walks on)

T-Mobile just made their plans a little better as well. If they would just kill the data cap on WiFi transfers, they would indeed have the best plans on the german mobile market.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by samh004

I know this is the wrong thread, but can anyone explain the price equation in France. From what I've read, I can buy an iPhone for €399 and pay €100 to unlock it. Simple. €499. So where are people pulling €649/€749 from ?

A: 399 € is locked + contract
(B: 499 € is locked but unlockable for free after 6 month + contract)
C: 649 € is locked but unlockable for free after 6 month and w/o contract
D: 749 € is locked but unlockable right away and w/o contract

I am not sure about B:, I could not find a source for it anymore.

[zombitronic]

Originally Posted by gifford

ah good news (though i expect i stand alone here).

I'm on your team, Giff. As a shareholder, I agree with you 100%. Welcome back, revenue sharing! Not that it completely went away, but in Germany, Apple is obviously only benefiting from revenue sharing through T-Mobile.

I suppose some people hold a strong loyalty with their mobile service provider or are already grandfathered into a sweet plan, but as long as the transparent service gets the job done, I could care less who provides it. If it doesn't get the job done for you, I understand your frustration, but as of right now, this young device is a packaged subscription deal. Of course, there are alternatives.

So, good for the ones who went for the opportunity to exclusively team up with Apple. Competition forces progression.