Vodafone and O2 to Break T-Mobile's iPhone Exclusivity in Germany
Apple's list of major markets with carrier exclusivity for the iPhone continues to dwindle with today's announcements by
Vodafone and
O2 that they will soon begin offering the iPhone 4 in Germany, breaking T-Mobile's longstanding exclusivity for Apple's handsets in that country. For the time being, the two new carriers are only offering information pages to allow users to register their interest in the device, with phone and service plan pricing and launch dates to be announced later.
Apple noted in its
April earnings conference call that the U.S., Germany, and Spain were the three remaining "major" markets where single carriers held the rights for the iPhone. Since that time, Spain and now Germany have gone non-exclusive, leaving AT&T in the United States as the primary exclusive relationship for Apple and the iPhone. Several other large markets, including Japan and China, also have exclusive-carrier status for the moment, but Apple has not chosen to include them in its citations of its most significant markets.
AT&T's exclusivity may not last much longer, however, as increasing numbers of reports are pointing the launch of a CDMA-based iPhone on Verizon early next year.
Popular Stories
Apple is set to unveil iOS 27 during its WWDC 2026 keynote on Monday, June 8, and the update will reportedly include two new Apple Wallet features.
First, iOS 27 will reportedly let users create their own digital passes by scanning items like movie tickets, concert passes, and gym membership cards. Many apps already offer Apple Wallet passes, but now users will be able to create a custom...
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said.
"I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV...
Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone later this year. Rumors suggest the "iPhone Ultra" will come in two color options, and a leaker shared an image today that allegedly shows one of them.
Posted on Weibo by the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe, the image purportedly offers a first glimpse of Apple's foldable in white. The device is believed to have entered early mass...
