T-Mobile responds to Vodafone iPhone injunction: $1,500 unlocked iPhones
By Thomas Ricker 
posted November 21st 2007 7:16AM
posted November 21st 2007 7:16AM
T-Mobile just issued a press release in response to Vodafone's efforts to unravel the iPhone exclusive offering in Germany. In the statement, T-Mobile claims that they will appeal the ruling (they have two weeks to do so) and will continue selling the iPhone unabated. T-Mobile defends the locking strategy as good for consumers who receive preferential data rates and access to T-Mobile hotspots as a result. In addition, T-Mobile says that it will likely claim damages against Vodafone for the mess they're causing. Perhaps T-Mob hasn't noticed all the free press they (and Apple) are receiving?
[Via Pocket-lint]
Actually Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone... Can't you Americans see a bit past your bellybutton??? It's like the other day, I heard this American saying that pizza came from the US... Jesus!
"T-Mobile defends the locking strategy as good for consumers who receive preferential data rates and access to T-Mobile hotspots as a result."
How does a locked phone give customers access to preferential data rate and access to T-Mobile hotspots? Sounds more like T-Mobile is holding those services for ransom in exchange for you taking a phone locked to T-Mobile that will strongly encourage you to continue using T-Mobile once your contract has expired (as opposed to using good customer service, enticing products and competitive pricing)
So, all the reporting over, and over, and over, that the iPhone was unsubsidized was just wrong I see. I mean, if it costs twice as much to buy unlocked without a contract, that sounds like a subsidized phone, right?
No, they just sell it for that price so no one buys it.
Actually, it costs about 4 times as much now, and THAT is because this is just a "fuck you" to customers, competition, and the law.
all this rivalry is bad for business....and over an iphone?
Actually it's about general competition. Vodafone is afraid that Nokia and SonyEricsson would do something similar. And Nokia and Ericsson *dominate* European markets.
Actually it's about general competition. Vodafone is afraid that Nokia and SonyEricsson would do something similar. And Nokia and Ericsson *dominate* European markets.
I can't wait until I find a torrent with this firmware to update my 1.0.2 anysim phone.
once again the consumer gets screwed.
Well, they've blow it - one hacker gets there hands on an unlocked iPhone and they will be able to replicate it on the locked iPhone.
Over a $1000 Bucks for a Phone? I mean what would anyone be thinking to do that? Does the phone communicate with E.T? or does it get calls from Mars? Those who buy the phone at that price must be nuts. I say sue all those money hungry , and greedy suckers... what the hell is humanity becoming. The bad seeds of Apple...beware ...coming to an operator near u
I'm surprised everyone is freaking out about this.
It's a simple counterplay against Vodaphone. Vodaphone threw a tantrum and demanded that Apple sell the iPhone in Germany unlocked because they wanted to hurt T-Mobile. Apple would of course be losing a lot of revenue if they did this, since they have sweet rev share deals in their contract with T-Mobile. So they're selling the iPhone for what they'd otherwise be making if a contract was purchased, and this is enough to comply with local regulations. Sweet and simple, and a big "eat shaiza and die" to Vodaphone.
Is it just me or does that mean that there is a way to unlock the iPhone WITHOUT the worries of updates etc...
yeah i briefly read through the comments and im wondering how the updates will work.
I really wish customers would just learn to be patient and wait, and not give in to all this crap from companies like Apple and the phone companies. We really don't have to put up with this nonsense. If everyone could just hold off on buying the iphone and inhibit their desires for just a few months, all this would go away. The iphone would drop down to regular price, and phone companies would get rid of contracts.
But unfortunately, they know the market all too well. They know that they can stick ridiculously high prices on contracts and stuff when they see a good product, and there will always be blokes with money to buy it. This guy said it best!
“If anything characterizes the 21st century, it’s our inability to restrain ourselves for the benefit of other people,” said James Katz, director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies at Rutgers University. Guaranteed it was said in context of something else, but it applies just the same to this.
Hold off people!! Don't let companies boss you around. They're here to serve you and they make their money from serving you, so stop letting them dictate the market. Democracy (in a broad sense) can apply to business as well.
999 euros is still non-competitive... i expect them to sue again
Here in Holland, an unlocked iPhone is selling for €190 with a subscription or €687 alone. Both of these prices include tax. Legal? Probably not, but pretty attractive at those prices. Did I mention that it was *unlocked*?
Vodafone is a fine carrier, every phone I've had from them has been unlocked, you can remove their branding easily.
They may not be the cheapest, but cheapest isn't always best...
so this is good news yes? I mean as soon as we can flash a fresh unlocked firmware/baseband onto our already liberated iphones then we can relax & not worry about bricking every time apple updates :)
€999 is still cheaper than paying for a 2 year contract. If you take into account the monthly fees with T-Mobile, an iPhone with a 24 month contract will cost you €1600.
You're being ripped off either way!
what everybody seems to be forgetting is that apple are taking around 40% of the tariff - in other words they are after the monthly income without all the effort of having to bill or deal direct with most customers.
Sweet business model...
Someone should round up some funds and buy one, then clone the firmware...
The REAL question is:
Just how much do the manufacturers charge Apple and T-Mobile and others for these things?
These are certainly run (phone-wise) on ancient technology, much sold, long ago paid for. OK the screen display might have had some work done on it but hardly rocket technology these days.
I repeat (attention disgrunted employees) How much are they actually sold for ex-factory?
Someone knows - don't they?
OK Guys, this is the best gift ever!!!!!
http://www.fakebuddy.com
Get It, Give It, Whatever.
At this price. I no longer feel bad that I paid $1200 for a Nokia E90.
huh?
In the UK O2 in 2 weeks has only managed to activate 26,000 iPhones and a recent survey results showed that people (majority) in the UK think the iPhone is too expensive. So the SIM free is price is probably totally off the mark. Notice Engadget does not report this type of real news about the iPhone.
People need to stop beating down Vodafone regarding this case in germany, If Apple and T Mobile get away with this, that would be bad news, Because other handset makers will want copy the Apple deal. As for knocking the Vodafone network, I've been using them for quite a few years after trying O2, Orange and T Mobile and I found the Vodafone network to be the most reliable. The other networks may have cheaper calls from time to time, but what good is that if you suffer dropped calls which I did. Vodafone are not the world's biggest mobile phone company for no reason, and at the end of the day selling phone's is much different from selling Mac's, Apple should remember that.
A quick message to Rk
You talk about Telefonica backing of O2, Remember Vodafone brought Mannesmann in Germany (which owned Orange at the time) for $183bn, Just so that they could own the mobile division, that's what you call real backing.