Orange to sell unlocked iPhones in France
Well, well... looks like Apple has been backed into a corner by French law and will be releasing an unlocked iPhone in France after all. While no one will say precisely how much the unlocked iPhone will cost (the locked Orange-network iPhone will cost €399) those details are expected to be announced sometime before the November 29 launch. Of course, laws forbidding the exclusive bundling of cellphones to carriers are not unique to France. As such, we can expect a glut of unlocked iPhones in the coming months as deals are struck throughout Europe and Asia. Hear that AT&T, O2 and T-Mobile haters? Your nefarious unlocking efforts are about to get a whole lot easier (and more expensive). [Via Orange]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dustin @ Oct 17th 2007 5:40AM
But the question remains:
in what way will Apple work to disable the user from doing with the device what he pleases?
Region disabling? Gimping of features? French language only? I can't imagine they can simultaneously sell an unlocked version while trying to keep a step ahead of these sim-unlockers.
Gizmo @ Oct 17th 2007 5:41AM
I think you got it all backward. The French law requires the phone to be available without subscription (the 50 a month part), the phone will still be locked with Orange. You can buy talk time and a number of SMS for various prices (for 35 you get 2h talking time or 450 SMS or a mix of both) from Orange and not pay a subscription. The phone can receive calls even if you used all your credit. So, the law requires the phone to be available without subscription so you can use it with these cards, but it doesn't require the unlocking of the phone.
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Gizmo from France
Doug Tondro @ Oct 17th 2007 6:08PM
That makes a lot more sense... Damn, leave it to the French language to make something sound soooo good when it really isn't that special at all.
Mommy? Can I still dream of unlocked phones? Pleeeeease?
tom @ Oct 17th 2007 6:16AM
So basically just a prepaid service.
Gizmo @ Oct 17th 2007 8:38AM
That's the word I was looking for ! :-)
At the same time, it's true that the law requires as well that Orange unlock the phone for free after six month of use. But, the difference is that nobody is going to leave France with a truck load of unlocked iPhones.