PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Apple has been dealt another blow in its European iPhone operation after a German court sided with Vodafone in its complaint about the phone’s local carrier, T-Mobile’s enforcement of 24-month contracts.
The German court ruled that T-Mobile must offer the iPhone to everyone, even without the 24-month contract that it had be requiring subscribers to take out. The deal means that the iPhone must be made available across all of T-Mobile contracts; it had previously only been available on select tariffs.
Vodafone, however, claimed that it was not trying to restrict or even block sales of the iPhone, rather level the playing field for everyone.
However, there are no laws in the UK that would mean a similar ruling is likely here.
It is currently unclear if the ruling will mean that Apple has to sell the handset SIM-free as the French Government forced it to do so earlier this year.
T-Mobile is planning to appeal the decision.
