Tuesday, November 20, 2007

3G iPhone headed to Vodafone in Q1 2008?

Vodafone rumored to get 3G iPhone in Q1 2008


Here we go again. The latest 3G iPhone rumor points to Vodafone as the exclusive carrier for the next-gen iPhone with high-speed wireless data. Italian website Morse.IT claims to have spoken with high-level Vodafone sources that seems to indicate that Apple and Vodafone have signed an exclusive iPhone deal. Seeing as how Vodafone is currently backing a German court’s decision to force T-Mobile to give up iPhone exclusivity in Germany, we’re betting that the Vodafone iPhone deal doesn’t concern the EDGE-only iPhone. Could Vodafone’s move to force T-Mobile to give up iPhone exclusivity have been a negotiation tactic to secure the UMTS-addled iPhone for Vodafone’s networks all over Europe?


The 3G iPhone is rumored to be hitting Vodafone’s network in Q1 2008, which is pretty much in line with rumors that a 3G iPhone could hit Europe by May of 2008. We’re hearing that the 3G iPhone will launch simultaneously in all countries where Vodafone has a carrier-presence, but the announcement won’t be made until after the holidays - in order to prevent cannibalizing current iPhone holiday-sales. Could we see Apple and Vodafone bow the 3G iPhone at MacWorld Expo 2008? We’re crossing our fingers.

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