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The Curious Way T-Mobile Unveiled its Apple Partnership

This article is more than 10 years old.

Image via CrunchBase

"Deutsche Telekom steps up investment in growth in 2014 and adjusts dividend planning to 50 euro cents" was how the press release in which T-Mobile announced it had finally secured Apple as a partner began. Not only that, but the actual news --- an obliquely worded "In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013" -- was buried one third of the way down from the top. In addition, indeed.

It didn't make a difference, of course. One of the big tech news stories of the week was that T-Mobile was finally getting Apple and never mind the lack of detail about whether the product will be the iPhone 5, a new iPhone, or possibly even the iPad.  T-Mobile isn't talking other than to acknowledge the deal—which is definitely not in line with the usual PR practice of shouting from the rooftops even the most minor news about an Apple partnership. But even if it couldn't provide details, why did T-Mobile release the news almost as an after thought?

As it happens there are almost as many theories about that as there are about what the actual partnership will entail.

The Deal Isn't That Great

It may be that the partnership is not that advantageous and investors may not like parts of it, says Peter Shankman, Geek Factory CEO and founder. "But even if that is the case, it still makes sense to get the information out there now."

A PR Splash Would Emphasize that T-Mobile is the Last Man In

"Now that everyone else has it, carrying the Apple might not have the same cache for T-Mobile," Shankman says. Bragging about it now would be like bragging about being the last to finish a marathon or graduating at the very bottom of medical school. "That guy is not going to make a big deal about his position in the class, he'll just tell people he's a doctor."

Apple Wanted it This Way

"Apple doesn’t like partners going rogue," Daniel M. Ladik, associate professor of Marketing at Seton Hall University says, so it is safe to assume that it had considerable sway in how the news was released.

The Deal Isn't Finalized But T-Mobile Wanted to Put the Word Out During the Holiday Shopping

"I actually think this was savvy of T-Mobile," says Elizabeth Lampert of Elizabeth Lampert PR.

"People are in Christmas shopping mode, making lists and T-Mobile wants people to know now, before contracts are signed and purchases are made. The deal is for next year but they are hoping with advance notice, current and future users will wait." It was low key because the deal is for next year and well, anything can happen between now and then, she says.

T-Mobile is Saving its Marketing Fire for a Really Big Announcement

T-Mobile still has to get its LTE infrastructure ready for prime time, Andreas Scherer, managing partner of Salto Partners, says. "As soon as that is the case they can offer the device as an upgrade option to both current T-Mobile customers as well as MetroPCS clients, assuming the merger goes through." T-Mobile will make this duel announcement – new Apple phones! LTE is ready for prime time! -- in a well-crafted, multi-pronged media campaign, he predicts.