DailyTech - The iPhone Goes Orange

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Blog: Gadgets The iPhone Goes Orange
Jason Mick (Blog) - September 20, 2007 5:26 PM

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7 comment(s) - last by TomZ.. on Sep 21 at 6:36 PM

The iPhone's latest move is to France.

News broke today that France Telecom's wireless arm Orange has won the rights to sell the iPhone in France. DailyTech previously reported that T-Mobile's international division was going to be selling the phone in Germany. DailyTech also reported earlier that O2 was selling the phone in the United Kingdom.

Like the other countries, France will receive the iPhone in November, just in time for the holiday season. France Telecom CEO Didier Lombard made the announcement of Orange's victory during a conference in Hanoi.

In Germany the iPhone will cost approximately $553, while in Britain the iPhone will cost $536. France Telecom declined to announce what it will price the phone at. The phone has a much lower price tag of only $399 in the U.S.

Jobs recently stated that Apple wants to sell 10 million iPhones in 2008 or one percent of the total cell phone market.

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Exclusive?

By clovell on 9/20/2007 5:40:00 PM , Rating: 2

I couldn't tell from your article, but is this deal an exclusive like the one in Germany?

RE: Exclusive?

By Rike on 9/20/2007 6:26:37 PM , Rating: 2

I think that's a safe assumption as all the other deals for iPhones have been exclusives, country by country.

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RE: Exclusive?

By TomZ on 9/20/07, Rating: 0

RE: Exclusive?

By Oregonian2 on 9/20/2007 8:15:21 PM , Rating: 2

Don't think there's a single company that has significant cell networks every EU country. They ARE a single country in that Euros are legal in all of them, although some still are using legacy currency as well. In any case, I'm sure any of those companies could have negotiated to be exclusive in the EU, but handing over 100% of their ownership to Apple might have been thought an unwise expense by some of the stockholders.

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RE: Exclusive?

By wien on 9/20/2007 9:34:29 PM , Rating: 2

Government != telecom. Different companies operate in different parts of Europe.

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RE: Exclusive?

By TomZ on 9/21/2007 6:36:39 PM , Rating: 2

Since I got downrated on this comment, does this mean I don't have to hear any more that the EU's economy (and military!) are bigger and better than the US? Please?

And although I was kidding, I did want to use the opportunity to point out the fallacy I've heard before that the EU is "one market," or that the EU with its member states is the same as the US with its states. Not even close.

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Conversions

By Spivonious on 9/21/2007 8:58:09 AM , Rating: 2

Just because the dollar isn't worth anything these days doesn't mean the iPhone is cheaper in the US.

$553 = 392 Euros, which sounds mighty familiar to $399.

You must take the price in local currency and compare it to that locality's cost of living. A burger does not cost the same everywhere. If that was true then a super nice hotel in central London would cost 150 pounds, which it definitely does not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Mac_Index

"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer