Apple: No set date for French iPhone launch

Apple has told Thompson Financial News that while the iPhone is scheduled to launch in Germany and the UK on Nov. 9, it has “not announced any other country launch dates in Europe.” This statement follows remarks made by France Telecom CEO Didier Lombard that the group has signed a contract with Apple to make Orange the distributor of the iPhone in France and that the device’s French launch would take place “during November.” Prior to this, several press reports had appeared claiming there was a dispute impeding contract talks; also, it was reported that a French law calling for sales of both a locked and unlocked version of the iPhone might pose a challenge for negotiators.