21 November 2007
A German court has ruled that Apple's iPhone, released in Europe earlier this month, should not be only offered on one network alone.
iPhone users in Germany had previously only had the choice of T-Mobile for their network provider, thanks to an exclusive deal with Apple similar to that of O2 in the UK.
However, in France, locking customers into such a contract had been ruled illegal last month - and yesterday Europe's largest phone market followed suit, following a successful court injunction from T-Mobile's network rival Vodafone.
As a result, all iPhones in Germany will now be 'unlocked' to all networks - barring an appeal from T-Mobile.
"The legal basis for the injunction is currently being examined," a spokesperson for the German phone firm, quoted by Reuters, said.
Apple has faced criticism from UK phone users for its compulsory contract with O2, which forces all purchasers to purchase an 18-month contract worth £35 per month with their iPhone.
Several British-based websites have since appeared, giving users instructions on how to unlock their new devices - though O2 have said that performing such an action invalidates customers' warranties.
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