T-Mobile Germany Offering Subsidized iPhones with 2 Year Contract

[MacRumors]

Fscklog reports (another report) that T-Mobile Germany is starting to offer substantial discounts on 8GB iPhone sales with a 2 year service contract.

The 8GB iPhone normally costs 399 euro, but depending on the service plan you sign up for, you could get it for a 300 euro discount. The special prices are as follows:

249 euro iPhone with Complete S
199 euro iPhone with Complete M
149 euro iPhone with Complete L
99 euro iPhone with Complete XL

The offer is good only between April 7th and June 30th and the 16GB iPhone remains at 499 euro. The changes have not yet been reflected on T-Mobile's site. This move to introduce subsidized iPhone pricing is interesting, in light of early beliefs that Apple prohibited the practice to avoid reducing the perceived value of the phone.


Article Link

[illitrate23]

if the offer ends on June 30th, does that suggest they also expect new iphones to be out in July and are using this to shift units?

[MrCrowbar]

Originally Posted by illitrate23

if the offer ends on June 30th, does that suggest they also expect new iphones to be out in July and are using this to shift units?

Well, the 16 GB model is unchanged, so maybe they're phasing out the 8 GB model? The 3G model would have to be announced and approved by the FCC first (except if it's only marketed in Europe). A 32 GB iPhone would be welcome. I mean, the iPod Touch already has it.

[Krafty]

Originally Posted by MrCrowbar

Well, the 16 GB model is unchanged, so maybe they're phasing out the 8 GB model? The 3G model would have to be announced and approved by the FCC first (except if it's only marketed in Europe). A 32 GB iPhone would be welcome. I mean, the iPod Touch already has it.

The iPod Touch has room for it.

[emotion]

The iPhone tariffs in Germany are insanely expensive. That's possibly the main reason for being able to discount as they recover the cost over the length of the contract.

Of course, this does give one more pointer to a new 3G model coming.

[princigalli]

I hate T-Mobile. Not only did they send me 2 phones and refused to take one back within the legal timeframe, but now they suddenly drop prices by €200. These are expensive contracts they pushed on customers, almost a rip off, all with the blessing of Apple.

This company is becoming really evil.

[macerroneous]

The biggest mistake Apple has made in years was when they dropped the 8 gig from $600 to $400. This made it very inexpensive for world citizens to buy the iphone in US and export it, costing Apple $200 on each sale. Now, MILLIONS of phones are being exported in this fashion, losing Apple hundreds or thousands of millions of dollars and leading to supply shortages in the US, further cutting into profits. They tried to make up for this in other markets by raising the phone's price, but nobody's biting.
The correct strategy would have kept the sale price at $600 but given a rebate with 2 yr contract. This effectively gives the "legit" purchaser a $400 phone, but the Nigerians will pay 50% more. That's what the German rebate experiment is all about.

[frank781]

Originally Posted by l Krafty l

The iPod Touch has room for it.

It's true that the iPod Touch has room, but I read some weeks back that Samsung is already sampling 32 GBit chips from their 40nm process which would make a 32GB iPhone more realistic.

This offer from TMobile is probably both a clearance sale to reduce the stock of 8Gb iPhones as well as spur some sales there. It's liel that within the Terms and COnditions of teh contract between and the carriers, that there's a clause exception to Apple's rule to not subsidize the phone.

This sale may also help Apple com to the realization that subsidizing the iPhone might be more lucrative than maintaining a "premium" on their products.

[AlexisV]

Perhaps they're realising that European users are loathed to pay so much for a phone.

[edk]

"249 euro iPhone with Complete S"

is this true????? I don't see a way to configure any iphone with the S package - only M and up.

The main thing stopping me getting a iphone, is the high monthly cost - wish we could order with a cheapo tarrif.

[Veldek]

Originally Posted by edk

"249 euro iPhone with Complete S"

is this true????? I don't see a way to configure any iphone with the S package - only M and up.

The main thing stopping me getting a iphone, is the high monthly cost - wish we could order with a cheapo tarrif.

Yes, this one is also new: 29 EUR/month, 50 minutes included, no SMS included, 500GB data transfer included (100GB from summer 2009 on).

Edit: Oh, and no hot-spot flatrate included anymore!

[Mixalis]

Like many observers, I am not surprised the 2G iPhone is not an unqualified sales hit in Germany (and, I suspect, in other European countries where it is currently available). I think Apple made the mistake of assuming Europeans would be easily fobbed off with obsolete communications technologies. There's another factor at work in Europe--the reliance of many consumers on having more than one SIM card for different countries where they spend considerable time. This is something Apple haven't appreciated, looking from a US perspective. Apple's marketing policy of locking the phone to one provider (and different ones in every country) is patently anti-competitive. I for one have SIM cards from two different countries and regularly swop them as I travel. I don't mind paying full retail price for an unlocked phone, but this isn't acceptable to Apple, it seems. I am forced to have two iPhones if I don't want to hack the unit.

[IRLConor]

Originally Posted by MrCrowbar

The 3G model would have to be announced and approved by the FCC first (except if it's only marketed in Europe).

If it was only marketed in the EU it would have to be certified to get a CE mark, so you'd probably get advance notice that way too.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by illitrate23

if the offer ends on June 30th, does that suggest they also expect new iphones to be out in July and are using this to shift units?

That obvious because the offer only appllies to the 8GB phone. If the puropse of promotion was to get customers to sign up for the service they would have a deal on both versions of the phone. It is pretty clear they just do not want to be stuck with stacks of un-sold phones that no one will want after the new phone come out

[redAPPLE]

my first thoughts too, that they are trying to reduce the iPhone stock as quickly as possible...

[Grimace]

July 1st 3G iPhone?

[SkippyThorson]

It looks that way.

[slicecom]

That's it! I'm moving to Germany!

We still don't have a ridiculously priced iPhone in Canada! Nevermind deals on them!

[Romano]

This offer is limited to 25.000 iPhones.

Now you know, how many iPhones are still unsold and standing in their shelfs...

[Diggity-Dan]

Originally Posted by slicecom

That's it! I'm moving to Germany!

We still don't have a ridiculously priced iPhone in Canada! Nevermind deals on them!

Originally Posted by Grimace

July 1st 3G iPhone?

Well, July 1st is Canada Day. Maybe Apple will give Canada a nice 3G birthday present. *fingers crossed*

[redAPPLE]

Originally Posted by Grimace

July 1st 3G iPhone?

and it is even a tuesday! woo-hoo!

[Sky Blue]

Originally Posted by Grimace

July 1st 3G iPhone?

Maybe in Germany... US could be sooner...

[justflie]

Originally Posted by Sky Blue

Maybe in Germany... US could be sooner...

Good point. Sooner would be just fine by me!

[TheSpecialist]

First thing that came to mind after offer = 3G phone. Think this also mean the EDGE phone will disappear or will get a new design and that could be the reason stock is cleaned.

[muplo]

Originally Posted by justflie

Good point. Sooner would be just fine by me!

We in Germany think that the next iPhone would first come out in the US. That is typical for Apple.

Didnt they speculate that the next iPhone would be an clamshell phone?
If that is true i would buy the iPhone for 199€ (Sorry for my bad english^^)
Greets
-Muplo