Orange says iPhone 3G to sell for 149 euros on July 17th
France Telecom's Orange said Thursday it will launch Apple's much anticipated iPhone 3G in France on July 17th with prices starting at 149 euro ($233) for the 8GB model.
Handset prices and plans
The exclusive French carrier of the touch-screen handset said the 16GB model will fetch 199 euro. Both subsidized prices require that customers also purchase a subscription to one of its existing "Orange for iPhone" plans (below), or its Origami Star (from 3 hours), First or Jet plans.
With other plans (except time-cutoff and pay-as-you-go), the 8Gb iPhone will sell from 199 euro and the 16Gb model from 249 euro, Orange said. For instance, customers can get the 8GB model for 199 euro with a one-hour Origami Star plan that costs 32 euro and offers up to 500MB of monthly internet access.
Meanwhile, "Orange for iPhone" plans (below) start at 49 euro per month for a plan that includes 2 hours of normal talk time, 2 hours of late evening and weekend minutes, and 50 SMS text messages. The most expensive plan is priced at 149 euro and includes 12 hours of normal talk time, 12 hours of nights and weekends, and 1000 SMS messages. All "Orange for iPhone" plans include Visual Voicemail and up to 500MB of monthly data usage.
Orange will also offer the 8Gb 3G iPhone from 199 euro and the 16Gb version from 249 euro with a 24-month contract under its loyalty upgrade program.
Preferential upgrade offer
As part of the carrier's "Change your mobile" promotion, Orange customers who purchased an iPhone before 12 June 2008 and are using it with an Orange plan (except time-cutoff, Initial and Mobicarte) will be able to buy the 3G iPhone for 99 euro through a 100 euro refund valid until 31 October 2008. The offer requires a 24-month contract.
iPhone 3G for business
The 3G iPhone will also launch for Orange Business Services clients on July 17th. Business clients will also be eligible for the "Change your mobile" offer.
Orange said its 3G network currently covers over 66 percent of the French population.
Handset prices and plans
The exclusive French carrier of the touch-screen handset said the 16GB model will fetch 199 euro. Both subsidized prices require that customers also purchase a subscription to one of its existing "Orange for iPhone" plans (below), or its Origami Star (from 3 hours), First or Jet plans.
With other plans (except time-cutoff and pay-as-you-go), the 8Gb iPhone will sell from 199 euro and the 16Gb model from 249 euro, Orange said. For instance, customers can get the 8GB model for 199 euro with a one-hour Origami Star plan that costs 32 euro and offers up to 500MB of monthly internet access.
Meanwhile, "Orange for iPhone" plans (below) start at 49 euro per month for a plan that includes 2 hours of normal talk time, 2 hours of late evening and weekend minutes, and 50 SMS text messages. The most expensive plan is priced at 149 euro and includes 12 hours of normal talk time, 12 hours of nights and weekends, and 1000 SMS messages. All "Orange for iPhone" plans include Visual Voicemail and up to 500MB of monthly data usage.
Orange will also offer the 8Gb 3G iPhone from 199 euro and the 16Gb version from 249 euro with a 24-month contract under its loyalty upgrade program.
Preferential upgrade offer
As part of the carrier's "Change your mobile" promotion, Orange customers who purchased an iPhone before 12 June 2008 and are using it with an Orange plan (except time-cutoff, Initial and Mobicarte) will be able to buy the 3G iPhone for 99 euro through a 100 euro refund valid until 31 October 2008. The offer requires a 24-month contract.
iPhone 3G for business
The 3G iPhone will also launch for Orange Business Services clients on July 17th. Business clients will also be eligible for the "Change your mobile" offer.
Orange said its 3G network currently covers over 66 percent of the French population.
Comments
One thing can be said about the new phone: Apple is paying less to build it, charging more to sell it and making a wider profit margin.
However, the "only $199 for an iPhone" is just marketing hype and anyone that bought into that crap, believed for even a second that it would be $199 without any catches or asked themselves "why would I buy an iTouch now?" are simply fools.
Is this normal for France?
Wow, those plans look like an expensive joke!
Is this normal for France?
From my experience, yes. I lived there for 8 years and cell phones are beaucoup bucks! Unless you do a pay as you go... but then you pay more per minute - ok if you don't use many minutes.
But the product is better, so I say hats off to Apple if they can make it for less and make more profit, all without charging the consumer considerably more..
However, the "only $199 for an iPhone" is just marketing hype and anyone that bought into that crap, believed for even a second that it would be $199 without any catches or asked themselves "why would I buy an iTouch now?" are simply fools.
Exactly. We have "analysts" saying that Apple earns about $199 and it costs about the same to make but they plan to make profits on "additional services". What a joke, Apple have always sold premium positioned products with a nice profit margin, and this is no different.
I'm very happy that Apple is making fat profits on the iPhone. Maybe the "me too" morons in the marketplace will pull their finger out and start focusing on the user experience, design quality and being boldly different. Until then Apple will continue sucking up their top end customers and profits. They always have the third world, where people like Nokia make most of their money.
What would the roaming charge be per minute if a US phone is used in France? That must be a real shocker!
I can't believe those price plans! How many people actually only talk on their phone and average of 2 minutes a day if they were to take the minimum plan? I can see if a phone is purchased for emergency use for that low talk time, but it seems that the emphasis is use for visual voicemail and text messages. And if that is the case, wouldn't anyone be better off with an iTouch and just connect to some wifi?
What would the roaming charge be per minute if a US phone is used in France? That must be a real shocker!
You forgot a couple of things: internet access and in most places other than the US there is no charge when someone calls you on the phone. I think low minute plans are great. I much prefer email to talking.
You forgot a couple of things: internet access and in most places other than the US there is no charge when someone calls you on the phone. I think low minute plans are great. I much prefer email to talking.
Yes, I can see the advantage for use with email. Are you saying that incoming calls are not charged for time use? Is that from any phone or only from other cellular customers from the same provider?
They always have the third world, where people like Nokia make most of their money.
Nokia's Q1 2008 results say you're talking crap...
http://www.nokia.com/link?cid=EDITORIAL_984926
Yes, I can see the advantage for use with email. Are you saying that incoming calls are not charged for time use? Is that from any phone or only from other cellular customers from the same provider?
Most of the world operates on the basis that the person phoning you pays for the call unlike the USA. If you only ever receive calls and texts in your home country in Europe, it costs you nothing and doesn't subtract minutes from your call allowance.
If your home country is France and you're in the UK however (ie. you're using international roaming) then both the caller and yourself split the cost. It doesn't subtract from your call allowance though.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7148e92c-3...0779fd2ac.html
EU is preparing to change to the US system of charging for incoming calls.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7148e92c-3...0779fd2ac.html
It's been suggested many times and that report isn't the EU preparing to change. It's the EU commissioner being prepared to accept changes to the carriers business model which seem to be being threatened because the commissioner is asking for changes elsewhere.
I can't see it happening without massive consumer revolt. It won't be popular.
On the other hand, Reding is doing reasonably well at reducing roaming charges.
I can't see it happening without massive consumer revolt. It won't be popular.
That's penny wise and dollar stupid if there is a consumer revolt.
That's penny wise and dollar stupid if there is a consumer revolt.
In what way, other than the typical American-arrogant way?
The rest of the world, where this technology and infrastructure is far more evolved, must be pretty stupid, huh?
That's penny wise and dollar stupid if there is a consumer revolt.
It really depends on what they offer us though doesn't it? You can see with the prices above, that it is likely they will make the change so that they make more money and the consumer gets a worse deal. That's the way things are done over here.
I can't see it happening without massive consumer revolt. It won't be popular.
I agree. For users who have never paid for incoming calls, except for roaming, such a model would be offensive. Why pay when someone else is calling you? As long as we have had phone plans in the Netherlands, we have never paid for incoming calls. Small chance it will happen in the future.
In what way, other than the typical American-arrogant way?
The rest of the world, where this technology and infrastructure is far more evolved, must be pretty stupid, huh?
No, I think it is the rest of the world that is arrogant.
Back in 1999/2000, numerous European countries (Sweden, Ireland, France) were arrogant in their assumption that their regulators can decide 3G licenses based on "beauty contests" instead of American style auctions. Guess how it turned out --- they were all a mess. Sweden and Ireland are both doing it the American auction way now.
Back in the GSM era, EU was arrogant in their assumption that it is best to have a single technology in their licensing scheme. Now they are all talking about technology neutral licenses like the Americans.
Back in the GSM era, EU was arrogant in their assumption that their regulators should be the only ones who decide where the spectrums should go. Now they are all talking about carriers can trade spectrums amongst themselves like the Americans.
Back before the iphone's launch in Europe, people around the world has been arrogant in their assumption that their country gives them numerous consumer protection laws on simlocked phones and that the US is a backward country with no simlocking laws. Guess how it turned out when the iphone launched in Europe 6 months ago --- all these people were proven wrong.
It turned out that basically EVERYTHING that the Europeans were doing --- have been wrong.
Actions speak louder than words. Europe is moving everything from auctions to technology neutrality to spectrum trading to the American system. Now they are talking about American system of mobile termination charge.
How in the world would paying for incoming calls be better in any way, shape or form?