Wider distribution lifting sales of Apple iPhones in Europe

iPhone “momentum is picking up in Europe as distribution widens,” Aude Lagorce reports for MarketWatch. “The end of exclusivity has already triggered a big leap in market share for the popular handset in France and observers say the phenomenon is about to repeat itself in the U.K.”

“In France, Apple’s iPhone was originally only available through France Telecom unit Orange, which bought exclusive rights to the device in 2007,” Lagorce reports. “But rival operators Bouygues Telecom and SFR, a unit of V, complained to the country’s competition regulator and were eventually allowed to distribute it as well.”

“Since April the iPhone has been available through the three main French operators. The widening of the distribution has boosted Apple’s value market share to 32% in the latest quarter from 21% just three months earlier, according to research from Bernstein,” Lagorce reports. “‘The expansion of iPhone distribution has clearly benefited Apple, helping it to more than double sales in three months,’ said Pierre Ferragu, analyst at Bernstein.”

Lagorce reports, “The gain happened mostly at the expense of Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, he said… France is now the biggest market for the iPhone in Europe.”

Full article here.