View this article at: http://dev.macnn.com/articles/07/11/29/dutch.royalty.buys.iphone
Thursday, Nov 29, 2007 11:25am
Dutch royalty spotted buyin...
Members of the Dutch royal family are among the latest to own iPhones, German and Dutch sites are reporting. Willem-Alexander, the Prince of Orange and heir to the Dutch throne, was yesterday spotted buying two iPhones with his wife, the Argentinian-born Máxima. The purchase was unusual in that it was not made at a European store, but rather at Apple's Fifth Avenue outlet in New York City, where the iPhones are by default locked to AT&T; to use an iPhone in the Netherlands, owners must either buy an unlocked device from France or Germany, or else install hacks.

The decision to buy iPhones in America was likely influenced by exchange rates, since the US dollar is at its lowest point in years, while an officially unlocked phone costs a minimum of €749 ($1,105) before service fees. Máxima is also said to regularly visit New York City, while Willem-Alexander is said to be a regular participant in Dutch Apple forums. The Dutch government is reportedly unhappy with the circulation of a photo of the prince and his wife at the Apple Store (seen below), and is currently asking Dutch websites to take them down.