Contrary to what was recently stated, France Telecom's Orange has not clung to the iPhone deal just yet. In fact, it is now negotiating the terms of such an agreement, according to business magazine Challenges.

Apple has recently officially revealed the operators to carry the iPhone in the UK and in Germany. No word on France, though. Everybody expected that the carrier for Apple's phone in this country would be revealed at the same time with those from the other two countries where the iPhone was supposed to make its European entry.

Orange France certainly gave reasons for everyone to consider it a clear fact that they will be the ones to release the iPhone in this country. The company's chief exec Didier Lombard made a statement earlier this month, promising that the handset will arrive "before Christmas, probably in November", this year, with no further details revealed.

No official announcement has been made, though, by any of the two companies, in order to make clear the terms under which the iPhone should be included in this operator's offer. The reason for their caution has been that they have yet to settle on all the terms of this deal before closing the contract.

It is rather alarming to see these two companies undetermined in reaching a conclusion in their negotiations, as time is going by at an alarming pace. If the two groups fail to come to an agreement, the launch of the iPhone handset in France in time for this Christmas season could be jeopardised, Challenges said. The greatest profits should be reached in the holiday's season, when the iPhone could become the perfect gift for many people.

Lombard's statement was a precise and confident one for the future release of Apple's phone in France through Orange carrier. This too fuels the possibility of seeing the iPhone's release at the Mac EXPO event that's currently taking place.