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iPhone Business Model Hits a Snag in France

Posted by Zonk on from the open-is-as-open-does dept.

Serhei writes "It seems like the iPhone might not be released in France by this holiday season, since French requires by law that all cell phones sold there must be obtainable in an unlocked version. Apple will not be able to do so, since it has launched with a 5-year exclusivity agreement with AT&T. That deal will probably require exclusivity worldwide to avoid grey-market imports. (In return for this agreement Apple receives a large share of AT&T's monthly revenues from iPhone subscribers.) If the iPhone falls through in France, the country can join Belgium and a potentially long list of other countries with unlocking laws, whose Apple fans will have to make do with other, less Apple-y phones. Note that there is currently no mention of the iPhone on the Apple France page."

4 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. Exclusivity - bleh by Divebus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Exclusivity deals with a sub-desirable carrier is working against Apple but "Designed in the USA" is probably hurting them worse in France. Next.

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    Most of the stuff on /. won't survive first contact with facts.
  2. Re:No worldwide exclusivity by Divebus · · Score: 5, Funny

    See? We should have let the Germans keep France.

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    Most of the stuff on /. won't survive first contact with facts.
  3. What? by sebastianboethius · · Score: 3, Funny

    If i were to meet steve jobs right now i would slap him.

  4. France? Heh. by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 4, Funny

    I bet the French even mandate that you use Arabic numerals on all cell phones. ;-)

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    This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.