Orange to offer iPhone in 12 more countries

Orange will sell the iPhone in a dozen countries, the company confirmed in a short statement this morning.

The France Telecom-owned mobile phone unit confirmed it will offer the iPhone in Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and Orange's African markets later this year; that's in addition to the one market it already serves, France.

The news once again suggests Apple to be abandoning its original bring-to-market strategy of working with an exclusive partner in each country. That strategic migration is clear, because Swisscom this week confirmed it plans to offer iPhone in Switzerland, while Vodafone will also offer iPhone in Portugal and Egypt.