That’s Germany, all right.
Like in France, it looks like Apple will have to sell the recently released iPhone in Germany without an accompanying contract and, separately, unlocked. Over in Deutschland, Vodaphone just won the first round in a long line of rulings against T-Mobile, which, for now, is the exclusive carrier of the iPhone there. Vodaphone, which no doubt wants a slice of that sweet iPhone money, insists that it’s fighting on behalf of the consumer (lol! I believe that…), while T-Mo says such exclusivity arrangements aren’t extraordinary. It’s all very excitizzzzz…
This must stink for Apple, spending all that time negotiating deals left and right only to see these activist judges undo all its work. How about, if you don’t want to agree with Apple’s terms, contract and all, just don’t buy the silly phone. What’s so hard about that?
IPhone Must Be Offered Without Contract Restrictions, German Court Rules [New York Times]