French iPhone buyers may choose Orange or unlocked

In the collision between French telecom law and Apple's carrier exclusivity for the iPhone, guess who blinked. Engadget and the International Herald-Tribune among other sources are reporting that the French iPhone will be sold in two versions, an Orange-locked handset for 399 euros, and an unlocked party animal for some as-yet-unannounced higher price. This is a consequence of France's statute, on the books since 1998, forbidding carrier locks beyond a six-month introductory window.