T-Mobile Confirms Apple Agreement to Offer iPhone

By Zak Islam
published

Deutsche Telekom confirms deal via investor update.

T-Mobile USA has announced that it's entered an agreement with Apple that will see the former finally offering the iPhone next year.

The news derives from T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom, who disclosed the agreement within an investor update via a press release.

"In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013," the statement said.

While it remains unclear whether the agreement actually includes the iPhone, the deal should undoubtedly include the smartphone as such an agreement wouldn't make sense without it for both Apple and T-Mobile.

Apple already sells the iPhone at the other three national carriers. T-Mobile is the fourth largest carrier in the United States with 33 million customers; Merrill Lynch analyst Scott Craig believes around 4 million from that figure would be expected to purchase the iPhone when the firm does offer it to subscribers.

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9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • dark_knight33
    ...And nobody cares. T-mobile is 5 years late to the party, and if Apple doesn't do something to really update the iPhone, they will get quickly left behind by companies with more flexible design principles and a bankroll big enough to deal with Apple's legal dept (i.e. Samsung).
    Reply
  • halcyon
    I never thought I would feel disturbed by the number of iPhones I see on the way to work. ...not that they're a bad product its just that I've learned there's better and I kinda feel sorry for all the poor souls that would probably buy better if they knew better. So now we're gonna add some more. Samsung, HTC, and LG really need to step up their marketing IMO.
    Reply
  • eternalkp
    before being a verizon member, i had tmobile
    it's the worst service, period
    bad calls, bad signal, and they constantly try to rip off you off with billing "errors"
    Reply
  • shloader
    My problem with T-Mobile's phone line up is that if a manufacturer like HTC makes the One X and the One S then T-Mobile is likely to only carry the lesser of the two. I don't know about the current Galaxy but the first iterations of the Galaxy on T-Mobile were of inferior quality to those on other networks (plastic camera lense, for example). I've always been pleased overall with t-mobile but my needs have never been heavy. I imagine more 'connected' users outside of major cities have turned away for these reasons. Wouldn't be surprised if the iPhones for t-mobile were slightly cheaper build quality(if apple would allow for that).
    Reply
  • SneakySnake
    dark_knight33...And nobody cares. T-mobile is 5 years late to the party, and if Apple doesn't do something to really update the iPhone, they will get quickly left behind by companies with more flexible design principles and a bankroll big enough to deal with Apple's legal dept (i.e. Samsung).
    how naive.

    Anyone who lives in the states should be happy about this, because it keeps the carrier market more competitive. It doesn't matter if you love or hate iPhones. T-Mobile will be able to be much more competitive in the consumers eyes now, since a lot of consumer are still looking for iPhones, and some of the will choose T Mobile when they wouldn't have otherwise.

    This is like saying no one cares to Blackberry's finally getting ARM chips (with their new BB10 devices), because they are late to the market and not competitive anymore. Late or not, it keeps all the other phone makers on their toes a little more, and keeps innovation going. Innovation in this case being more competitive plans across the carriers, meaning money saved for the consumer
    Reply
  • Camikazi
    Isn't this the same company that said about a month ago that it wasn't willing to make the sacrifices needed in order to bring Apple devices into their lineup? Seems they changed their tune really fast there.
    Reply
  • halcyon
    CamikaziIsn't this the same company that said about a month ago that it wasn't willing to make the sacrifices needed in order to bring Apple devices into their lineup? Seems they changed their tune really fast there.Not necessarily. Perhaps they made no sacrifices. Perhaps Apple came to them with an reasonable offer. Oh wait....
    Reply
  • Thunderfox
    I hope T-Mobile has not slit its own throat just ti sell the iDiotphone. If they have signed a contract to purchase millions of phones that may or may not sell, then the other customers are going to end up paying for that.
    Reply
  • ipwn3r456
    Too late T-Mobile. Just got a SGS3 weeks ago.
    Reply