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TIM Vodafone announce launch of Apple iPhone in Italy

According to a company source, Telecom Italia should officially announce the launch date of the Apple iPhone in Italy Monday evening or Tuesday at the latest. This Monday Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc, speaking at the developer’s conference announced the new Apple 3G iPhone will be sold in Italy via mobile operator TIM Vodafone.

Previously Vodafone had announced the Apple iPhone would launch in June without a specific date along with a few details on specs being it would be a touch-screen that combines those of a mobile phone with a music player which has already been a big success in both the US and the UK.

The latest second generation Apple 3G iPhone will allow access to all services at a higher speed than that of the first generation Apple iPhone which used EDGE mostly within the US, and the 2G version is for sale for several months in European countries including Germany. However some stores in Italy will sell an unlocked version at a price of 450 Euros. Though as yet public pricing in Italy has not yet been confirmed.

According to the Vodafone source in May, both 8Gb and 16Gb models will be available in a range of colours, although at first only black will be available.

Apparently unlike the US and other countries, in Italy Apple may abandon the “revenue sharing” but it remains unclear if operators will block SIMs on the Apple iPhone to avoid “migration”. In theory in Italy it is possible to stop the SIM for a maximum of 9 months rather than the 24 months in the States.

At present it is somewhat unclear whether the Apple iPhone when in Italy will be only available on subscription or as a pre-paid card formula.

Source — Reuters

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