iPhone confirmed for T-Mobile Germany

The rumors are true: iPhone exclusively on T-Mobile Germany starting November 9th just like in the UK. The 8GB model will go for €399 (including V.A.T and 2-year T-Mobile tariff) and will be sold through Telekom Shops of Deutsche Telekom and the T-Mobile web shop. Yes, you still get access to the WiFi iTunes Store, Visual Voicemail, and, for better or worse, EDGE data. In fact, "by the end of 2007," T-Mobile will be the only provider in Germany to offer EDGE throughout its GSM network. Whoopee. Sorry, no mention of unlimited data or free WiFi hotspots but we'll update you as soon as we know.

[Thanks, Lars, Rahul B. and everyone who sent this in]

Read -- Apple press release
Read -- T-Mobile site

[Romi @ Sep 19th 2007 7:04AM]

...and no Details about the plan yet. Oh, and it´s not clear if we can use the T-Mobile WLAN HotSpots for free. This is more than a joke.
sorry, waiting for GooglePhone with 3G and Vodafone...

[Alpha899 @ Sep 19th 2007 12:20PM]

Why anyone in europe would get the iPhone i don't understand, phones in europe trump the iPhone 10 times over - even the china clones have more functionality:

http://www.mp4nation.com/products/index.php?PID=cellphones

[Thorsten @ Sep 20th 2007 4:11AM]

Hey Alpha899, so where are these cellphones better?
They don't have 8 Gb of storage and they actually seem quite dodgy doesn't say anythign about how they sync or what not.
Show me a single cellphone that is better than the iPhone and not available in the U.S. I very much doubt you will find a single one.

[Adamos @ Sep 19th 2007 7:04AM]

Finally! What a relief.

[Twitchy @ Sep 19th 2007 7:06AM]

Sweet. Now if Deutsche Telekom were to only drop the ever so slightly ugly pink colour...
*sits back and eagerly awaits €uro pricing announcement*

[Rasmus Voss @ Sep 19th 2007 7:16AM]

I assume the phone will never be sold in denmark,
Even though we have pretty good edge coverage, we are lacking wifi hot spots.
But we have a law that says you cannot bind a customer for more than 6 months when subscribing to telephone / cellphone and or data lines.

[Henrik J @ Sep 19th 2007 7:40AM]

I was thinking the same thing, i hadnt realised that the rest of europe allowed phone companies to bind their customers for that long, but perhaps we will just get the phone at a more expensive price

[tomijlahtinen @ Sep 19th 2007 8:00AM]

humm.. In Finland binding phone to service contract is allowed only for 3G phones. So no iPhone for Finland for the time being. Waiting for 3G iPhone to launch and stick with my dull SonyEricsson for the time being.

[thomas @ Sep 19th 2007 7:17AM]

It's finally here. I can't wait to get into a T-Punkt and grab the phone.
I'm so happy that Apple picked T-Mobile and not crappy O2 or Vodafone. It is defenately the best network with a much better EDGE coverage even compared to O2s EDGE coverage in the UK!

[wgarth @ Sep 19th 2007 7:22AM]

So, if I take a T-Mobile phone from Germany and unlock it for use with T-Mobile in the US, will visual voice mail work?

[Brian @ Sep 19th 2007 7:28AM]

Good question....

Is Visual Voicemail based on a standard or just an Apple thing ?

I can imagine some provider saying "...unlock the iPhone and we do VV as well..."

[Jamar @ Sep 19th 2007 8:30AM]

One thing I hope for (that you reminded me of) is that T-Mobile keeps their locking policy in place. They never lock their phones to a certain country, only to the T-Mobile network, so you'd only need to do a no-activation hack and put in your T-Mobile SIM.

[Twitchy @ Sep 19th 2007 7:08PM]

Visual voicemail is unfortunately a service provider thing - if they don't support the iPhone then you can't get visual voicemail.

[Alan Partridge @ Sep 19th 2007 7:25AM]

"T-Mobile will be the only provider in Germany to offer EDGE throughout it's GSM network."

That's because everyone else skipped EDGE and moved on to 3G!

[Khattab @ Sep 19th 2007 7:31AM]

Nope.

T-Mobile (and VDF) offer 7.2 MBit HSDPA (and soon HSUPA) 3G within Germany with best coverage of all 4 carriers. EDGE is just a plus.

Au revoir...

[Fredster @ Sep 19th 2007 9:32AM]

@Khattab

Did you read what he wrote? He said everybody skipped EDGE and went straight with 3G, how is EDGE a bonus?

Too bad Apple chose the shittiest operator in Germany, honestly, if you ever hear anybody talk about Telekom, they never talk any good about them. I could tell you stories that would blow your mind and it's no wonder they're loosing customers. It's a shame tbh, if they'd pull it together and stop f-ing around, they would be really really successful!

[Flying? @ Sep 19th 2007 8:31PM]

@Fredster : Did YOU read what they (Alan Partridge) wrote? Apparently not.

[Jamar @ Sep 19th 2007 8:43PM]

Well, T-Mobile America has the best customer service I've ever experienced, so maybe Germany's doing something wrong this time if no one has anything good to say about them...

[humpty @ Sep 19th 2007 7:28AM]

How do you send visual voicemals on the ipohone when the camera is on the back

[Mars @ Sep 19th 2007 7:36AM]

Visual voicemail has nothing to do with video. It just allows you to see who has left you a voicemail and play/delete them in any order you want. (No need to press 1 for this or press 8 for that)

[Pixxa @ Sep 19th 2007 7:47AM]

joke right? Visual voicemail isnt voice dialing!

http://www.apple.com/iphone/phone/features.html?feature=voicemail

[Andreas @ Sep 19th 2007 7:28AM]

If they really mangage to have EDGE everywhere I would be glad.
I am using an HTC Tytn now on the Eplus Network.
Windows Mobile stoppt sucking after I replaced it with a cooked WIMO6 Version from XDA-Devs.
But the UMTS coverage of Eplus isn´t that good. Its really anoying to see UMTS while driving
to work/home but as soon as I reach either one of those places UMTS dropps and I am back on GPRS.

So, if T-Mobile really manages to have a complete EDGE coverage I´d be more than willing to switch back from a 3G Phone to a 2.5G Phone.

[dieZahnbuerste @ Sep 19th 2007 7:28AM]

they show videos of the german keyboard on the apple hp but how to input ä,ö,ü and ß?

[terralance @ Sep 19th 2007 7:31AM]

The press release mentions WiFi (albeit at 802.11b speeds) at 20000 T-Mobile hotspots worldwide of which 8600 in Germany. I guess that'll be included in the plans, but we gotta wait on the official news.

[devix @ Sep 19th 2007 7:38AM]

399 eur - this is even more expensive than in UK

[Steve @ Sep 19th 2007 12:21PM]

no its the same

[Scooter @ Sep 19th 2007 9:17AM]

Actually, 399€ is the same as UK pricing for the 8GB model (around 275 GBP), which makes sense. UK has slightly higher prices but only 17.5% sales tax. Germany has 19% tax.

What has gone by so far without objection on Engadget (perhaps because folk are so used to it) is the obscene markup by Apple (and others) for Europe. 399€ is currently around US$560. Even allowing for sales tax of 20%, the base price is still $467 (16% above US pre-tax retail).

Is this the early adopter price Steve? Will you drop the price in two months to bring some parity to US levels?

Or should we await the GooglePhone and a carrier that don't do evil?

[nickwerner @ Nov 15th 2007 3:53AM]

The orice of €399 is already paired to the USD price. If you take a closer look at the apple website you will see that all USD on apple.com are paired by the same price in €. (ex. macbook basic 999USD, or 999€).

[Sebastian @ Sep 19th 2007 7:56AM]

To be honest, that press event was a little disappointing. Ok, we knew Steve would not come out and announce a 3G version just for Germany, but T-mobile could at least have they plans ready as everybody else who is coming with the iphone.

If they will not give their wifi net for free, I really doubt that T-mobile will catch a lot of people. What is the gain ? There are other phones with 3G and unlimited data plans also on the way.

399€ for a phone is pretty expensive here. I mean you get the latest Razor V2 for 1€ with a 2 year plan. So there has to be some advatange besides its a apple product and beeing able to buy music at the apple store.


And btw, lets say I buy the phone now and Apple throws a 3G phone on the market sometime in march,... well, could I go, buy the new phone and run it with my current plan I have for the first iphone ?
I mean I have to buy the phone for full price anyway. NOBODY asked that yet.

[Hawk @ Sep 19th 2007 8:00AM]

Wow, how much is everyone getting screwed over with the iphone? I live in Australia - I'll import one, unlock it and never look back.

[Costas @ Sep 20th 2007 1:33AM]

I wouldn't be talking to European mobile phone users about getting "screwed" if I was you.

Australian mobile users have among the highest call and mobile data charges in the world...

Enjoy your iPhone but make sure you're you don't do anything else other than speak on it! :-)

(oh yes, and use one of your country's expensive Hell$tra/Optu$-owned WiFi hotspots...)

[Hawk @ Sep 20th 2007 5:59AM]

I'll say what I like, when I like.
I'll say it again - HOW MUCH IS *EVERYONE* GETTING SCREWED OVER WITH THE IPHONE?
See? Simple, huh?

[WhiteStar @ Sep 19th 2007 8:44AM]

You rarely see those T-Com hotspots in germany, and they're really expensive... so this is just gonna be for the rich, even if it's covered in the plan.

[Daniel @ Sep 19th 2007 8:50AM]

well il be in Germany again soon so il have a choice, Uk O2 or Tmobile . hmm

[Rich @ Sep 19th 2007 9:00AM]

Wow, and I thought us Brits got screwed over with a mandatory 18 month contract...

[Vanillacide @ Sep 19th 2007 7:24PM]

T-Mobile demanded an extra long screw by the look of it, be glad that O2 only wants 18 months. :o

[piratec @ Sep 19th 2007 9:22AM]

Steve Jobs came to Paris last night to sign the contract with Orange.
The iPhone will be launch in France in November. Apple and Orange will work together to be ready on November 9th, like in England (O2) and Germany (t-Mobile)
http://piratec.fr

[Jon @ Sep 19th 2007 9:55AM]

I don't see Engadget putting out press release every time an existing Nokia/Samsung/Sony Ericsson/HTC/LG/Motorola phone is released in XX country. The Iphone released in Europe is identical, so why the need to report every small confirmation?

[jilie @ Sep 19th 2007 9:55AM]

down with the iProducts

[Alien Grey @ Sep 19th 2007 10:17AM]

does this mean it if you understand German and you have an American T-Mobile simcard, you can use this phone?

[Zinny @ Sep 20th 2007 1:14PM]

To all who question:

When a mobile network operator "Locks" phones, it does so by embedding a range of "Approved" IMSI's into the phone software. IMSI for SIMs in USA are different than IMSI for SIMs in Europe. Completely different ranges of numbers. Also, to clarify: 3G networks in Europe are still not 100% coverage, and GPRS is still used as rural backhaul solution for data. Since Germany already has EDGE and 3G, it is ready for iPhone and any future 3G iPhones. This makes T-Mobile the best option in Germany. For the UK, most costs associated with adding EDGE to the network are minimal, as it is sometimes just a software upgrade in certain newer networks. For hi-speed data, there is WiFi, then 3G, then EDGE. This means: WiFi for Location Specific, 3G for City Wide, EDGE for Rural. Think of them as concentric circles with the first layer being GSM/EDGE (National footprint), then with a smaller 3G circle inside that (city and business/tech centers), and then freckles of Wi-Fi all over both the circles.

[Markypants @ Sep 19th 2007 10:46AM]

It's interesting to see that apple has gone with all these different networks throughout europe; though would we be able to import an orange iPhone from france, and then stick a UK orange sim in it? that way it wouldn't need unlocking. Or even stick one of those 02 simplicity sims in the uk 02 phone? now that would be sweet!

[Fragwell UK @ Sep 19th 2007 10:50AM]

What I want to know (and I am sure lots of other people do too) is whether software updates for the iPhone will break SIM Unlock software.

I know that the Visual Voicemail feature wouldn’t work with other providers but with that considered, am I right in thinking I could:

1. Buy an iPhone (O2, Apple, Carphone Warehouse)
2. Get it home and "activate" it
3. Never open/use whatever O2 package/SIM is included
4. Use one of the SIM Unlock programs
5. Put my 'Orange' Pay Monthly SIM from my N95 into the iPhone
6. Use the iPhone with my current 'Orange' contract

Am I right? Could I do all that? Would it work properly? The SIM Unlock programs do make the iPhone work with Pay Monthly SIM's as well as PAYG ones yeah?

Thanks

[Dreizehnernuss @ Sep 19th 2007 2:15PM]

The only problem is that you have to pay the O2 plan anyway.
You have to sign the plan before they hand over that iThing.

[Justin @ Sep 19th 2007 11:26AM]

Some of the comments on this post make me sick. It's like everyone is hopping on the entitlement train.

"I'm disappointed!"
"Where are the plans?"
"Why doesn't it have 3G?"
"Waiting for (phone model) on (carrier) with (feature iPhone doesn't have)"

I don't care if you're waiting on the GooglePhone on Vodaphone! Most of you are so immature to think that you're entitled to ANY feature you come up with while playing D&D with your friends in the dungeon (basement). The phone doesn't have 3G? SO WHAT? It still is a phone, internet tablet and iPod. Does nokia do it better for less? If so, go buy it!

But don't sit around here grandstanding for either side when chances are you're not going to buy the product in the first place. You just want to voice your dissent because you have the option to do so, and I think the great crime in this is everyone feels like that's the cool thing to do. You know what's really cool?

GETTING A LIFE! Don't like the iPhone? Fine. But don't expect me to respect a damn word you say when a prepubecent valley girl should be narrating your comments with the Hannah Montana soundtrack in the background.

ROLL A 20 AND DIE DUNGEON MASTERS!

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Sep 19th 2007 11:35AM]

> [...] worse [...] EDGE [...]

I was trying to use UMTS under Vodafone/D2 - and coverage sucks. Or rather quality of coverage.

I got on average 2-4 bars of signal strength. In GSM mode, my phone is stable at 6 bars.

Consequently, I had to recharge it almost every 2-3 days. In GSM - not more often than once per week.

I doubt T-Mobile UMTS quality would be any better than that.

[Jah @ Sep 22nd 2007 7:15PM]

T-mobile UMTS is superb and has been good longer than Vodafone. But '3' has caught-up and in many areas their 3.5G service (HSDPA) is better than T-mobile.

[Bad Beaver @ Sep 19th 2007 11:51AM]

*yawn* Exciting. I guess T-Mobile better come up with some happy contract details soonishly. Their current plans in Germany, especially for data, are beyond ridiculous.

[warrenpeace™ @ Sep 19th 2007 12:35PM]

If they get a Kraftwerk ring-tone, I'll be sooo jealous.

[SAL @ Sep 19th 2007 1:06PM]

Did anyone notice the globe icon next to the space bar in the SMS demonstration on Apple Germany website is missing.