Orange will sell the iPhone in the UK this year after signing a deal with Apple to become the second operator in the country to offer the phone. The deal breaks Apple’s exclusive deal with O2, which won the right to sell the phone two years ago. Apple is thought to be aiming for increased sales by offering the phone through more than one operator. It is not yet clear how much Orange will have to pay in terms of subsidies on the handset.
Orange claims it now offers the iPhone in 28 countries and territories. Apple’s willingness to end its exclusive carrier deal in the UK suggests that the firm may soon break its exclusive contract with US carrier AT&T. The news comes as Chinese operator China Unicom says it will begin selling the handset from next month.
StrategyEye's related categories: Mobile Operators - General, Mobile Phone Devices
StrategyEye's related companies: Orange, O2, Apple Inc.
