Non-Orange contract-free iPhones appear in France

Following a ruling by the French Competition Council suspending the exclusivity agreement between Apple and France Telecom tying the iPhone to Orange in France, contract-free iPhone 3G units are now available from at least one other source. FNAC is now selling the black 8GB iPhone 3G for €799 (roughly $1,133) and the white 16GB model for €899 (~$1,275). It is unclear whether the handsets are unlocked, or simply sold without a contract but still tied to French carriers, and whether other French carriers plan to offer the handset as well.