Apple, Orange aim for Nov.

Following numerous reports of feuding between Apple and its chosen French iPhone carrier, Orange, the Cupertino-based company and the wireless provider have finally said they will settle the terms of the deal by the end of October. MacBidouille reports that Orange CEO Didier Lombard has issued an announcement, claiming that the steps to make the iPhone available in France will see completion by the end of the month. Apple and Orange late last month were at odds with one another over the proposed percentage of service revenues that would go to Apple as part of the deal between the two companies.

The French cellular carrier had announced just seven days prior that it holds exclusive rights to distribute Apple's iPhone in France, and promised to bring iPhones to French consumers before Christmas and as early as November.

Interestingly, another report that surfaced last week suggests a French law could hamper the Orange iPhone deal because it requires the handset to be sold with and without contracts, which would prevent Apple from forming an exclusive deal with Orange. Some speculate that the situation could not only delay the iPhone past the busy holiday shopping season, but could result in Apple refusing to sell its popular smartphone in France at all, rather than open up its exclusive deal to other carriers.

by MacNN Staff