Apple and Orange today announced that Orange, the leading wireless carrier in France, will be the exclusive French carrier partner for the revolutionary iPhone when it makes its debut in France on Thursday, November 29. iPhone combines three devices into one—a mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and the best mobile Internet device ever—all based on Apple’s revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that allows users to control iPhone with just a tap, flick or pinch of their fingers. Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the US on June 29.
“We are excited to partner with Orange and bring iPhone to France in time for the holidays,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, in the press release. “iPhone is an amazing product and we hope mobile users in France will love it as much as we do.”
“The iPhone is a marvelous product and will change how people think about mobile. I’m delighted that it is launching in France through Orange, and I’m sure that our customers share my excitement. Our partnership with Apple is a natural fit because we are two global brands who share the same values of simplicity and innovation. It’s going to be a very merry Christmas for Orange customers all over the country!” said Didier Lombard, CEO, France Telecom, in the press release.
In addition to all the revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in the US, iPhone users in France will have access to Apple’s latest music offerings on iPhone including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview, purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on their iPhone. Music fans can start enjoying their music purchases immediately on their iPhone with no computer required. Once they connect their iPhone back to their PC or Mac®, downloaded music will automatically sync back into their iTunes library.
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 29 and will be sold in France through Orange’s online and direct retail stores. iPhone will be available in an 8GB model for €399 including V.A.T. for any subscription to one of the dedicated rate plans and will work with either a Mac or PC.
iPhone activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account; the latest version of iTunes available at http://www.itunes.fr and a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later; Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise or Ultimate Edition.
It’s like pairing Apples and Oranges!
This is some delicious news!
Hummm big news day. Leopard, Orange, what’s next the G5 in the next Gen MacBook Pro?
They did not mention the date that it will be available? Seems like a major omission.
Wow, Apple surrendered to France!
Probably All Gore’s idea.
gizmodan – “iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 29…”
Side note-
Of course, the politically correct American can’t bring himself to say the word ‘Christmas’ while the Frenchman just calls a spade a spade.
I’m so tired of the liberal pc police here. Americans don’t even know it, but they’ve willingly been neutered in their own ‘free’ country.
Ditto.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas don’t be a hypocrite; go to work and don’t buy your kids presents. I dare you.
…who else is sick of the stupid ‘zwinky’ ads?
Oh, no, we’re not going to have any casualties.
–George w. Bush
discussing the Iraq war with Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson, as quoted by Robertson
Not gizmo dan,
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/12045/
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/7973/
http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/4557/
MDN certainly aren’t neutered victims of the P.C. loser crowd.
George W. Bush and Pat Robertson – a match made in Hell. And that’s where they will end up.
So what happened to the laws that prevented an exclusive deal in France? Doesn’t that seem like a bit of an omission from the article?
I think my favorite feature on the list at the Apple website is under bootcamp,
Restore to Mac-Only PartitionEasily delete Windows and restore the disk space being used by the Windows partition back to Mac OS X.
Oops! The comment above was meant for the Thurrott article…
I live in the UK… My current mobile phone contract is with Orange. My brother has a contract phone with T-Mobile… My friend in Germany is on O2…
Seems like Apple are trying to piss all of us off.
Still, my unlocked iPhone is working just fine.
Screw you Steve Jobs!
“Screw you Steve Jobs!”
Wrong, Steve’s the master of screwing you (And having you enjoy it, and having you tell all your non fanboy friends to go get screwed too).