The Palm Pre will be an exclusive handset for O2 in the UK and be out, as Pocket-lint previously reported, before the end of the year.

Although Palm or O2 has yet to comment on the rumour, even to the Guardian, that hasn't stopped the newspaper claiming it had unnamed sources telling it what's what when it comes to the launch details.

Palm has always remained quiet about who would be its launch operator in the UK, only ever confirming at the launch in January that UK customers could expect a 2nd half 2009 launch.

The news, if true, would be a blow to Vodafone, who has a long history of supporting Palm handsets in the past and Orange who has yet to grab itself a Tier one handset. The Guardian says the move by O2 is to reduce the impact of a possible expected loss of the iPhone exclusive later in the year, again another rumour.

We have tried to contact both O2 and Palm in the UK, however due to the Bank Holiday have been unsuccessful.

We will keep you posted.

UPDATE: O2 has now got back to us with the following statement neither confirming or denying the information put out by the Guardian on Sunday.

“We don’t comment on rumour and speculation and have made no announcement on this particular handset”.