T-Mobile iPhone Possible

T-Mobile is the prime candidate for carrying the iPhone in Germany, according to a claim made in a teaser article written for the country's Rheinische Post on Tuesday. The paper alleges that the carrier will sell the base iPhone for 450 Euros ($613) on November 1st, meeting Apple's stated goal of bringing the device to Europe by the fourth quarter of 2007. The media outlet does not elaborate on whether this includes taxes or subsidies. T-Mobile Germany has declined comment on the report.

If substantiated, the claim would reveal a more regionalized strategy for bringing the iPhone to Europe. At one point Britain's The Guardian pointed to Vodafone as the preferred European carrier, which would have given Apple broader coverage of Europe and the potential for a unified deal. A representative of Vodafone later denied the claim. T-Mobile's European branch currently addresses the UK, Germany, and multiple central European companies such as Poland.

Rheinische Post noted that the possibility of an exclusive contract could be a barrier in Germany, where many customers are used to unlocked phones that can more easily be switched between carriers.

By Electronista Staff