Iphone to be sold unlocked in Italy
22 Apr 2008 | 10:44 BST
Contract not mandatory
EITHER ITALIANS are better negotiators than other Europeans or Apple is getting more flexible with telecoms in the wake of disappointing Iphone sales across Europe. Information Week reports that the Cupertino, California fruit company has agreed to let Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) sell unlocked Iphones without mandatory service contracts in Italy.
In a departure from Apple's practice with other European telecoms, TIM will offer Apple's anticipated next generation 3G Iphone without locked software or the requirement to purchase a lengthy service contract along with the handset.
That means that consumers who buy an Iphone from TIM will be able to use it with any compatible 3G service provided by another mobile wireless carrier -- in Italy or elsewhere.
However, TIM will have the exclusive right to sell the 3G Iphone in Italy for the first six months after its release, and the handset itself will be more expensive.
There's more speculation about the European Iphone market, why Apple's deal with TIM happened and what it all means here. µ
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