World of Apple

Those looking to pick up an 8GB iPhone in Austria can do so for €1. T-Mobile which carries the iPhone in Austria and Germany dropped the price of the 8GB handset on Monday from €99 to just €1 (on a €45/month contract).

In addition to the massive saving on the handset, T-Mobile is offering the first month free, a saving of €45 and is offering another €45 for orders made online.

In light of the carrier looking desperate to shift units some sites have reminded us that in February 2008 Apple released the new 16GB iPhone.

Orange is hiring actors to stand outside of Polish stores to intensify the hype of the release of the iPhone in Poland. From the Reuters article:

“We have these fake queues at front of 20 stores around the country to drum up interest in the iPhone,” a spokesman said.

Apple sold about one million of the new iPhone models in the United States around the July launch weekend, but buyers in Poland may be reluctant to pay hefty monthly charges.

There were no queues at T-Mobile’s (DTEGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Era stores, which will also due to launch the iPhone on Friday.

Fake lines (or any lines) have not formed in front of local T-Mobile stores. Good luck to those who are looking forward to buying an iPhone in their home country!

As O2 and AT&T run dry of iPhone stock T-Mobile in Germany still seems to have plenty of stock even though it slashed the price to just €99.

The official carrier of the iPhone is now indicating that it will no longer sell the iPhone after June 30th.

The 3G iPhone which is widely expected to be announced next week at WWDC has been pinpointed to hit shelves worldwide in early July.

[Update] According to one World of Apple comment left on this story, T-Mobile is not stating that it will cease sales of the iPhone only that the company will no longer have a promotion on the product after June 30th.

AT&T Limiting iPhone Sales to One Per Customer

AppleInsider has republished an internal AT&T memo which informs retail staff that customers can only purchase one iPhone.

“Effective May 14, 2008, customers can only purchase one iPhone at AT&T stores,” reads a copy of the memo. “The prior limit of three iPhones is no longer in effect.”

AT&T also informs retail staff that customers can only purchase using credit or debit cards.

T-Mobile Germany Shifts 100,000 iPhones

CEO of Deutsche Telekon, Rene Obermann announced today that its subsidiary T-Mobile has sold over 100,000 iPhones in Germany.

T-Mobile board member Hamid Akhavan cited that iPhone sales were “about in line” with corporate sales targets.

Recent price cuts of the iPhone in Germany were said to have increased sales.

T-Mobile Germany is currently running significant discounts on the iPhone when purchased with a 2 year contract.

In Germany the iPhone normally costs €399 but depending on the level of service plan chosen, customers could receive up to a €300 discount.

The iPhone prices are as follows:

• 249 euro iPhone with Complete S
• 199 euro iPhone with Complete M
• 149 euro iPhone with Complete L
• 99 euro iPhone with Complete XL

The offer is only valid for 8GB iPhones and will run between April 7 and June 30. The offer is also reportedly only valid for 25,000 units and coincidentally comes as rumours of iPhone refreshes and unit shortages are rife.

Apple and T-Mobile are now selling the iPhone in Austria, the iPhone is being sold €399 for the 8GB model and €499 for the 16GB.

The following plans are available with the iPhone:

• €39/month “Classic” – 3GB data / 1000 minutes /T-Mobile WiFi
• €55/month “Supreme” – 3GB Data / 4000 minutes / 1000 SMS / T-Mobile WiFi

A German court ruled Tuesday that T-Mobile can return to selling locked iPhones, forcing consumers to also join a T-Mobile service plan.

Late last month Vodafone forced an injunction upon T-Mobile forcing the company to sell unlocked iPhones until the court came to a decision.

“We are pleased with the outcome,” T-Mobile spokesman Rene Bresken said

T-Mobile stopped selling unlocked iPhones immediately but said that it will unlock iPhones at the end of the users contract at no charge.

Following yesterdays court ruling, influenced by Vodafone, T-Mobile has today announced that it will begin selling an unlocked iPhone for €999 (US$1,477) immediately, as well as continuing to offer it for the discounted €399 (US$590) in combination with a two-year contract, the company said in a statement.

Bloomberg also reports that existing iPhone owners in Germany can have their iPhone unlocked free of charge.

T-Mobile has stated that it would abide by the conditions “until the legal situation is resolved.”

On Tuesday, T-Mobile said it would appeal the injunction and it also said it reserves the right to consider seeking damages.