More interesting iPhone numbers come out with Orange announcing pricing

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 6:42am — Chauncey Dupree

EDIT: IT looks likt the real cost of the iPhone is around $950

399€ if you get a 2 year plan with Orange
649€ "Locked" to Orange but sans contract
749€ Unlocked and able to use on any provider

There are 4 new "formulas": 49 € for 2 hours talk time, 59€ for 3 hours, 79€ for 5 hours, 119 € for 8 hours (FYI - you don't get charged on incoming calls in France)

(France24 is providing the details)

Interesting. Some observations:

749€ - not bad for an unlocked iPhone. Compared to what now appear to be Deutchbag T-Mobile's €999 fee, it is a bargain. Expect to see Germans coming over the Maginot line like '40 to buy unlocked iPhones in France.

649€ Seems to be the REAL price of the iPhone - unless that is articifically mandated by French law. You figure that is Orange's break even point. You can stroll into an Orange Store and pick up an iPhone – no contract – at that price. Obviously, it is advantageous for Orange to sell them locked to their network- so they are probably able to sell at-cost knowing that they will reap data and phone monthly fees down the road. For an additional 100 euros, Orange makes a healthy profit on the iPhone - which they are basically giving to other carriers.

Keep in mind - people who have some time left on their Orange contract will be able to buy the iPhone on Orange for 6 months. After 6 months, French carriers are forced to open their phones up to any and all comers.

Ahh, to live where the currency is 1.5 times as valuable and the telecommunications industry can't lobby consumers rights away. Walt Mossberg would be proud.

( Filed Under:

iPhone - iPod

)

Comments

Isn't it 649€ + 100€

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 7:15am — excomax (not verified)

Isn't it 649€ + 100€ unlocking?!

you must be the guy from

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 8:09am — a sauerkraut (not verified)

you must be the guy from london....

Yes it´s 749Euro with the

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 8:11am — Anonymous Coward (not verified)

Yes it´s 749Euro with the UNLOCK. For 649Euro you get it without any contract but STILL LOCKED!

Hi Chauncey, Actually, it

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 8:27am — Marcos (not verified)

Hi Chauncey,

Actually, it seems to be inaccurate.

According various Orange representative interviews, iPhone pricing should be as follow:

399€ if you get an "Orange Plan for iPhone": starting at 49€ per month, one (additionnal 4.5€ per month) or two years commitment. (This is confirmed on official site iphone.orange.fr)

549€ if you get another Orange Plan

649€ without plan

All of these are locked to Orange. Unlocking is made on request and charged 100€ or free after 6 month.

The complete truth in a few hours...

But the problem seems to be

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 8:48am — BlackSmp (not verified)

But the problem seems to be that an unlocked phone isn't possible to use in another country. I've seen reports that unlocked german iPhone have not been possible to use with SIM cards provided by Swedish operators...

"Expect to see Germans

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 9:36am — Anonymous Coward (not verified)

"Expect to see Germans coming over the Maginot line like '40 to buy unlocked iPhones in France."

Oh, please...

come on, that was funny...

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 10:52am — LeftCoast (not verified)

come on, that was funny...

Come on, that was funny

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 11:23am — Sylvain (not verified)

Come on, that was funny !

That sentence made my day !

(I'm French by the way)

Come on "Anonymous Coward" !

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 1:08pm — Aurelien (not verified)

Come on "Anonymous Coward" ! (thanks 9to5mac for this touch of humour in the default name :-P)

I'm french and this joke about the maginot line made me laugh. You know there is really no anger anymore between France and Germany ? It is all the contrary, we're know the best friends in the world ! We both lost so many lives in 3 wars that we know the real cost of wars.... (maybe it explains why we didn't want to start an unnecessary war in the middle East ? just a though, don't want to troll here :-)

that Maginot line bit was

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 6:53pm — Anonymous Cowherd (not verified)

that Maginot line bit was hilarious =)

getting back to the topic of discussion -- doesn't it seem like Apple's shooting itself in the foot here? what's with all these (rather absurd) variations? what happened to simplicity of offering? :-/

They can blame all the

Wed, 11/28/2007 - 7:10pm — Meldon (not verified)

They can blame all the variations on the telecoms, so they are considered to be controlling just the phone, not the price. Its actually pretty smart how they are having minimal impact on all this, not even a press release, to try and make it all seem like its the telecoms fault...

Smooth move by Mr. Jobs.