Import iPhones with side effects.

Contract Free iPhones to import is a risky business, even if those from EU countries. The sale itself can Apple not prohibit, but also detours lead to Rome: Apple goes with warnings against the use of Apple's promotional pictures before.

 

At the end of January of the fax machine spat Kristof Loll a twelve-letter from a law firm in Cologne. Loll was surprised that screenshots of their online stores 3Gstore.de recognition. The lawyers wanted to with the warning not to sell the iPhone does, but the use of Apple's images. From a legal perspective, is perfectly legitimate: Apple holds the copyright to the images.

Prohibitions for Impoteure: Official Apple-promo-pictures of the iPhone to independent merchants can not be used

It's just unusual, "This is absolutely incomprehensible to me," says Kristof Loll. Every other manufacturer was happy when the original image material used. No brand manufacturer looks like badly lit amateur photos of its products on the pages of online shops.

iPhones from Italy

It sells no Loll by software (Jailbreak) hacked iPhones. The equipment comes from Italy and are responsible for the European economic space. You do not have a network lock, are Simlock-free. Glad to see that Apple still does not.

Because Apple actually leaves the exclusive distributor in Germany, its partner T-Mobile - and captivates the devices to his network. In many other countries, however, Apple has with the introduction of the second-generation iPhone on exclusive contracts with cellular providers waived. How can the Italian iPhones with any SIM card in Germany.

Also, the software updates and installing applications via the Apple iTunes software are easily possible. So enjoy the great demand for imported equipment. Exact sales figures will not betray Kristof Loll, but supposedly will be worthwhile for him: He does not abandon.

Trouble with Gmail

This allows the dealer does not have a shortage of anger complain. He had been warnings for a specific cost center established joked Loll. Because the iPhone has other import reactions.

In December he reached on behalf of Daniel Giersch a warning. The young entrepreneur offers at the address Gmail.de postal services. The free mail service from Google is actually also Gmail. But in Germany, Daniel Giersch has this brand on the Prozessweg secure for themselves. So Google's service in Germany and Austria now Gmail, as otherwise only in Britain, where the brand is also someone in Gmail could only ride.

In Italy, however, says Google's mail service as anywhere else in the World: Gmail. And this mail service is in the import iPhones preconfigured. Of course you can see the logo. Exactly Giersch warned that the traders from Kiel. In Germany, the iPhone may sell the Gmail logo is not used. Kristof had Zähneknirschen Loll acknowledge the warning.

Illegal image use

The current warning he will sign it and the attorney's fees in the amount of 1,780 euros at a fixed value of 100,000 euros to pay. Now the question arises as to whether Apple's lawyers to other bloggers and site operators are released. The probability is large, because in the use of ties to the U.S. Apple site is clear that the images only for editorial purposes and analysts may be used. The use for advertising, brochures, books and T-shirts is strictly prohibited.

"Our terms of use, there are quite clear," says Georg Albrecht, Apple spokesman in Germany. When asked whether import more equipment dealer must reckon with the warnings and how to trade with Apple devices simlockfreien is like no Albrecht information.

Meanwhile Loll Kristof makes a virtue out of necessity. Since he has new images for his shop with a professional photographer had to be carried out, he thought, he could also contribute to the PR purposes. The different, he offered views of the iPhones may now use any and even change.
Creative Commons license called das

The only condition: The user must specify where the images he has. So the copyright notice at the photos now every time a little advertising for Lolle shop.