T-Mobile Gets iPhone in Germany

Apple and T-Mobile said Wednesday that the carrier will begin selling the iPhone in Germany on November 9, the same day UK consumers first see the device.

T-Mobile is Germany's largest provider with 30.7 million customers. It is also the only carrier in the country that will have deployed EDGE data across its entire network by the end of 2007, which is central to the data capabilities of the iPhone.

German consumers will be able to purchase the device at Telekom Shops of Deustche Telekom or through the online store. The price is 399 euros including VAT, and requires a two-year contract with the company.

"I am proud that Apple and T-Mobile have become partners," T-Mobile International CEO Hamid Akhavan said in a statement. "The best mobile device currently on the market will soon be operating on the best network in the country."

Details of the revenue sharing agreement were not disclosed, and Akhavan said plan details will be announced before the release date.

Speculation is already under way for the next awardee of an iPhone contract in Europe. Most agree that France's Orange is likely the next one to be announced, however some have indicated that Apple may be holding talks with Telefonica in Spain about bringing the phone there first.

"Apple may not be the best device in terms of performance, but it is no doubt the most awaited and probably among the most stylish and consumer-friendly devices available today on the market," JupiterResearch analyst Michael Gartenberg said.

Apple has already shipped some 1 million iPhones, of which anywhere from 750,000 to 900,000 have already been activated, according to BetaNews analysis. TheStreet.com reports that the Cupertino company is also ramping up production to meet the heavy demand.

Whereas it was originally planning to ship about 1.5 million Phones next quarter, it plans to attempt to ship nearly double that. This moves the target number of shipped phones from 3.6 to 4.8 million for the entire year.