Apple, Orange to unleash iPhone in France on Nov. 29
Apple and Orange jointly announced Tuesday that Orange, the leading wireless carrier in France, will be the exclusive French carrier partner for the iPhone when it makes its local debut on Thursday, November 29.
âThe iPhone is a marvelous product and will change how people think about mobile. Iâm delighted that it is launching in France through Orange, and Iâm sure that our customers share my excitement," said Didier Lombard, CEO of France Telecom, which owns the Orange brand. "Our partnership with Apple is a natural fit because we are two global brands who share the same values of simplicity and innovation. Itâs going to be a very merry Christmas for Orange customers all over the country!â
iPhone is scheduled to go on sale on November 29 and will be sold in France through Orangeâs online and direct retail stores. It's unclear whether the handset will be offered for sale via Apple's local online store. The Apple handset will be available in an 8GB model for â¬399 including V.A.T. for any subscription to one of the dedicated rate plans and will work with either a PC or Mac.
As is the case with the US version of iPhone, activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account; the latest version of iTunes available at 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.