Joining standard payment methods accepted on Apple's content stores—such as Paypal, plastic money and iTunes credit—customers in some European countries can now have their app and media purchases charged to a monthly mobile phone bill from their carrier.
Faced with intensifying pressure as it vies for supremacy in the highly competitive smartphone market - fighting chief rival Samsung and other vendors left and right - Apple has reportedly softened its stance on carriers and has shifted in how it goes about doing business with the world's wireless carriers, or so thinks one particular wireless industry executive.
Instead of putting on the 'our way or the highway' posture in its dealings with the people who are pushing the iPhone to wireless subscribers, Apple is "a little less arrogant than they used to be," according to France Telecom-Orange CEO Stephane Richard. Here are some choice quotes...
Here is a surprising initiative from Orange, one of the UK's largest carrier. The company has started offering its customer one free movie rental a week via iTunes.
With Orange Film to Go, every week the company will select a new movie that customers can access simply by sending a text message to the carrier. Orange then sends the customer a promo code to redeem in iTunes...
So we've already shown you how to charge your iPhone over a campfire with a cooking pot, now let's look at something a little less flammable (maybe). The Orange Sound Charge is a t-shirt that actually doubles as an iPhone charger.
The folks over at TiPb discovered this interesting Orange prototype that combines innovative technology in a wearable accessory. The Sound Charge actually uses ambient noise to give your iPhone battery life. Hit the jump for a video of it in action...
In an interview at All Things Digital's D9 conference, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega hinted that the mobile phone carrier is working on a new, smaller SIM card standard for future smartphones just as Apple is already confirmed to be.
According to AppleInsider, the comment came after All Things Digital's Ina Fried asked about the possibility of a new embedded SIM card as Apple had been rumored to favor, saving valuable space inside ever-shrinking handsets...
Huh, what's the word I'm looking for? Pathetic? Yes, that sounds right...
Orange is reportedly paying actor to pretend they are waiting in line in front of Orange stores in Poland for iPhone 3G launch day there. I guess they want to generate buzz and interest.
The move is even more pathetic because there is no line in front of T-Mobile stores, where the 3G will also be sold in Poland.
Długie kolejki po iPhone`a?Thank you Engadget