Apple finalizes European iPhone operator deals

Apple has reportedly finalized a series of partnerships with European operators to begin overseas sales of its iPhone device. According to The Financial Times, the computing giant inked deals with the U.K.'s O2, Germany's T-Mobile and France's Orange--the agreements call for each operator to share 10 percent of revenues derived from all iPhone-initiated calls and data services with Apple. The three operators are set to officially announce their iPhone partnerships at the IFA trade fair in Berlin at the end of this month; so far, T-Mobile, Orange and O2 are all declining comment.

According to The Financial Times, T-Mobile chairman Hamid Akhavan and O2 CEO Peter Erskine both lobbied for one-on-one discussions with Apple CEO Steve Jobs: "These are not negotiations among equals. Apple clearly had the upper hand," one industry insider told the newspapers' sister publication FT Deutschland. Apple previously announced it would limit the iPhone's European launch to the British, French and German markets, rolling out in other regions next year concurrent with its expansion into Asia.

For more on Apple's Euro deals:
- read this Financial Times article 

Related Articles:
O2 dumps i-mode; iPhone deal imminent?
iPhone to Vodafone…and O2?
ESPN PodCenter catches on with iPhone
YouTube generates iPhone content
iPhone rumor mill: 3G in 2008