Comments on: Exclusive: First Retail iPhone Store to Open in Germany Next Week

By: Viv

Viv — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:03:52 +0000

Well, hypothetically going to Italy isn’t that big of a deal. If you happen to live near an airport that RyanAir offers flights from, you could probably go there for a few euros (€5-20). In Italy the iPhone has always been sold SIM-lock-free. Just like in Belgium. But in Germany you had to get one from T-Mobile with a 2-year contract.

However, to me there would be no point in spending that much on an iPhone and then having to spend yet more on a plan to go with it, if I can get an iPhone + service for 2 years (and my bill is never higher as it includes all the internet, minutes and text messages/MMS I need) for about €950.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:22:14 +0000

Re: Why should a german (except he is living just in the nearby) travel to Italy in order to get an IPhone??

The answer is because T-Mobile is the exclusive Apple sanctioned operator for the iPhone in Germany. And this sucks. Think of T-Mobile as the German AT&T, only not that bad as AT&T is supposed to be. We have MMS since a decade I think and T-Mobile has no say as to which apps may go in the App Store and which may not. But other than that they suck.

When I bought my first gen iPhone I had no choice and signed a T-Mobile contract but when that runs out I will go to any of those European countries where you can purchase iPhones without plans and get one. Flights are dirt cheap here and you need one hour at most to get into most European countries from Germany.

By: Jonas

Jonas — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:17:08 +0000

@Tyler: in Czech and Italy you can get them from any Telco Company, but not in Germany where T-Mobile pretends to have a monopoly and sues everyone like 3Gstore. I think that 3Gstore.de buys them in other European countries and resells them but offers service and guarantee at their own cost.

By: 3Gstore.de Bochum – das iPhone geht offline « Das Randolf Jorberg Blog

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:10:07 +0000

[...] führende US-Blog Theappleblog hat schon vorab davon erfahren und beurteilt den Bochumer 3Gstore als spektakulär Neuerung für den Endkunden: On offer will be [...]

By: Tyler

Tyler — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:05:31 +0000

You can also buy them in the Czech Republic (where I live) for less than 800 Euro. So it seems that the Germans are getting shanked!

By: What to read on the GigaOM network

What to read on the GigaOM network — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:24:36 +0000

[...] Chancey Mathews | Friday, September 4, 2009 | 8:50 AM PT | 0 comments Exclusive: first retail iPhone store to open in Germany next week (TheAppleBlog) Sony’s sweet DSC-HX1 zooms into HD (NewTeeVee) The promise of algae fuel rests on [...]

By: Madeline

Madeline — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:47:06 +0000

Woah, now that’s awesome news. I like the date and time, btw ;-)

By: What to read on the GigaOM network

What to read on the GigaOM network — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:44:29 +0000

[...] Edit Staff | Friday, September 4, 2009 | 8:44 AM PT | 0 comments Exclusive: first retail iPhone store to open in Germany next week (TheAppleBlog) Sony’s sweet DSC-HX1 zooms into HD (NewTeeVee) The promise of algae fuel rests on [...]

By: Jonas

Jonas — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:34:17 +0000

Wow – what a great find! I’m German, but THIS is new to me! I know about 3Gstore.de (they are really big in that business) but they haven’t publicly said that they are going ‘offline’ anytime soon!

By: freakazoo

freakazoo — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:31:59 +0000

Why should a german (except he is living just in the nearby) travel to Italy in order to get an IPhone??