T-Mobile is setting the price and subsidizing the iPhone in Gernany. Apple has only one Apple Store in Germany (IIRC) and therefore T-Mobile is almost the sole source... and the sole service provider. The only way you get the €99 price is by signing up for a two year contract with their highest priced package... which is €89 or $140 US per month. You get a lesser package and the iPhone is still €339 or $525 US. T-Mobile is top feeding to get people who desire the iPhone who have the where-with-all to pay for the highest package.Any thoughts on the price cuts ?
IMHO it's silly to focus of a first cost of $400, or $100, when the thing is a brick if you're not paying over $100 per month for wireless access. The access charge is really the whole game.The cable companies don't charge for set top boxes. Are they free? Not on your life - you pay plenty for them, month after month.
“IMHO it’s silly to focus of a first cost of $400, or $100, when the thing is a brick if you’re not paying over $100 per month for wireless access. The access charge is really the whole game. “
Very true and the other cellphone providers have known that since the beginning.
Seems like something must be afoot if apple has broken their “only sell at full price” philosophy.
An interesting point is that the German t-mobile stores must be forcing buyers to activate them in the store at purchase, another major change.