Apple has signed contracts with three major European mobile phone operators for exclusive rights to sell its new iPhone, the Financial Times reported on its Web site citing sources familiar with the situation.
The paper said the contracts require the companies - T-Mobile in Germany, Orange in France and O2 in the U.K. - to give 10% of the revenue from voice and data transfers to Apple .
Deustche Telekom, which owns T-Mobile, and France Telecom, Orange's owner, could benefit from the iPhone as the two fixed-line carriers try to diversify their business amid tightening competition in their home markets.
Apple's shares jumped 2.7% to 99.5 euros in Frankfurt trading, while Deutsche Telekom's shares were 1% up, to 13.6 euros. France Telecom's shares were trading 1.4% up at 21.8 euros in Paris.
Apple's iPhone, which was launched in the U.S. at the end of June in two models priced $499 and $599 respectively, will not be discounted.
So far, the only other handset maker getting a share of revenues from the use of its mobile device has been the Canadian company Research in Motion, which produces the BlackBerry handheld device.