Orange is in intense discussions with Apple over developing France's smartphone app for tracing people who are at risk of coronavirus infection, CEO Stephane Richard said on Thursday.

"There are meetings almost every day. It's not a done deal yet (...) but we have a discussion dynamic with Apple that is not bad", Richard added.

Mari-Noelle Jego-Laveissiere, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer of France's biggest telecom operator, said that the app should be ready by the end of May.

(Story corrects first name of Mari-Noelle Jego-Laveissiere in paragraph 3)

(Reporting by Sarah White; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Gareth Jones)