Unlocked iPhones to take a bite out of France's wallets

Apple and French carrier Orange are launching the iPhone at 6:30 pm (1830 h) local time, with twelve stores opening after hours to accommodate the expected rush of customers.

The price for a fully unlocked iPhone in France is €749 ($1105 USD). With a two-year service contract, the iPhone is slated to cost €399. The Orange division of France Telecom reportedly has 63,000 individuals registered on its site receiving updates about the device.

French law states that all phones must be freely unlockable after six months anyway, so customers who buy the unlocked version are essentially paying a €100 penalty for not having a plan with Orange.

Specially-tailored iPhone plans with unlimited visual voicemail, emails, and internet browsing range from €49 for 120 minutes of talk time plus 120 minutes nights and weekends with 50 SMS messages to €119 for 480 minutes normal talk time, 480 night and weekend minutes and 1000 SMS messages. Plans also cover connections in the over 30,000 Orange Wi-Fi hotspots.

Orange's site will be updated with launch details.