Court bans iPhone exclusivity deal in France

Not surprisingly, Apple spokesman Alan Hely said Apple was greatly disappointed by the verdict. According to him, they had created “Vigorous competition among handset makers and carriers that benefits all consumers. Our partnership with Orange has enabled us to deliver unprecedented value to French consumers.” Following the initial ruling in December, a French appeals court has ruled to uphold the ban on Apple’s deal with Orange to be the sole carrier of the iPhone in the country, officially unlocking all iPhones sold in France for use on any compatible French network. Following the verdict, the iPhone 3G was spotted for sale on other websites bundled with contracts from other carriers.