Apple wraps Europe iPhone deals
p2pnet news | Mobiles:- Germany’s T-Mobile, France’s Orange and O2 in the UK have struck exclusivity iPhone deals with Apple.
In return, they’ll, “hand over to Apple 10 per cent of the revenues made from calls and data transfers by customers over iPhones,” says the Financial Times.
This gives handset makers a direct share of the revenues mobile phone operators get from calls and data transfers, “marking a shift in the relationship between the parties,” says the story going on:
“Until now, mobile operators have campaigned fiercely against such an approach, but industry experts expect that Apple’s success in securing the deals could spur other handset manufacturers to try to secure similar terms.
“In the US, AT&T has negotiated a two-year contract with Apple, which is understood to be unusually heavily weighted in favour of Apple.”
But, “These are not negotiations among equalsm” the FT has industry expert quoted in the FT Deutschland saying.
“Apple clearly had the upper hand.”
Adds the story:
Apple has also lured the mobile operators with the prospect of a financially risk-free business, as it will not allow the now common subsidies on the sale of handsets. Most mobile phones are sold by operators to subscribers at a highly subsidised rate.
Apple has previously said that it wants to limit iPhones European launch this autumn to the UK, France and Germany. It will continue the roll-out elsewhere in Europe next year, when it will also launch in Asia.
Also See:
Financial Times – Apple secures Europe iPhone revenue deals, August 21, 2007
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