Iphone: First Germans, Now the French Get Screwed

The Iphone craze continues as more and more techies around the world go yaya for the cool looking, but uber-controlled device. According to France 24, the Iphone is launching in France at a whopping $749 euros. According to the current conversion rate, that is a little over $1,100 dollars.

Excuse me while I go pick my jaw up off the floor.

The actual base price for the phone will be 649 euros, with a 100 euro surcharge added to allow the phone to connect to other networks. Orange, the mobile branch of France Telecom, has obtained exclusive right to sell the phone in France. So, a person would need to buy the phone from them and then pay the 100 euro charge to use another company. If an Orange customer wants to buy the phone and stick with Orange, then they can get the phone at a cheaper price. The official launch is set for Wednesday night, according to MarketWatch.

The Iphone is already being sold by independent internet sites in France at lower prices, and Orange is threatening legal action against them. It seems turf wars and legal action are the story of the Iphone no matter where it goes.

This all comes after the Iphone’s splash in Germany where the phone was tied to T-Mobile. This, of course, pissed off a lot of Germans, including those at Vodafone. Vodafone filed a lawsuit against T-Mobile, challenging their lock on the Iphone. A court injunction was handed down, and T-Mobile complied by offering an unlocked Iphone to Germans for – are you ready? – 999 euros. That is $1,477.

I thought Americans were getting hosed by paying too much for a phone which ties you to AT&T and won’t let you run anything third-party. But, apparently, the trend continues and gets much worse as you move across the Atlantic. And wherever the Iphone migrates next, exclusive contracts and legal action is sure to follow.

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http://www.os2guy.com OS2guy
Hello? Who owns the iPhone? You don’t. Apple does. It is THEIR product. You whine because they charge whatever they want? Don’t buy the freaking thing!
BTW, when we come to your website we’re bombarded with ridiculous ads and pop-up commercials. How dare you decide what we can and cannot see.
Understand how hypocritical you are? Take a hike!
David Risley
Do you have any idea how LITTLE sense you just made?
Probably not.
Michael Moore
David, if you read his ID it clearly makes mention that he’s a apple fan…..Are you really that surprised.
But i understand what was stated in the article and it is true. Basically, its crazy to pay prices like this for a phone that isnt really all that. What exactly are you getting from an iphone. It cant play video messages or voice record, even if the features are useless too many at least it will help justify that cost. I can visit google maps on my blackberry….I dont see where this cost is coming from.
In full disclourse, i have used an iphone and i do enjoy it. But no way in hell im giving up my cheaper and featured fill phone.
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Jen
you can block that java pop thing they have here to “remind” us to come back or something…
dont think i’ll get an iphone, i like the pay-as-you-go plans, i dont chatter much on my mobile and i dont need to be wired to the grid like some i guess.
good articles here!