O2 to offer Nokia N97 in June

iPhone operator getting flagship handset first

13 May 2009 14:51 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

O2 is to offer Nokia's new flagship handset, the touchscreen N97 that will come complete with Ovi Store services, in June, Mobile reports.

O2 has confirmed to Pocket-lint that "the Nokia N97 will be available on O2 through the Carphone Warehouse", but we are yet to hear confirmation of dates or pricing.

Mobile states some O2 stores are said to be getting the new handset in stock for 15 June, ahead of anyone else in the UK, while the Carphone Warehouse stores are said to be set to start selling the phone a week later on 23 June.

This O2 stores snippet is in contrast to what Pocket-lint understands - that O2 will not sell the N97 through its "direct channels" - perhaps because it does not want to irk Apple with a direct iPhone competitor.

Pricing is said to be high - and higher than the iPhone's current monthly contracts - at from free on £45 per month through Carphone.

O2 told Pocket-lint earlier this year that it hadn't ruled out stocking the Nokia N97, despite the fact it would come with revenue-threatening VoIP service Skype pre-installed.

"We have to make sure the experience is right, however we haven't ruled out stocking the N97", O2's UK PR manager told Pocket-lint.

Meanwhile, Vodafone is confirmed to be offering the new phone in July. We will keep you posted.

UPDATE: O2 has been in touch with Pocket-lint to clarify that it will be offering the N97 solely through Carphone Warehouse, but has not yet set dates. We'll let you know more when we have it.

Full tags

Phones, Mobile phones, Nokia, O2, Carphone Warehouse, Nokia N97