29 September 2009 9:09 GMT / By Duncan Geere
Turns out that Vodafone will be getting their hands on the iPhone too. The company joins Orange, who recently announced that they'd be breaking O2's exclusive and also selling the device. A deal is understood to have been signed on the evening of 28 September.The news was first rumoured by the Telegraph, but was confirmed to Pocket-lint by Vodafone's press office, who told us that the handset would be arriving in early 2010. Beginning today, Vodafone customers will be able to register their interest in the 3G and 3GS at vodafone.co.uk/iphone.
Vodafone's chief executive, Vittorio Colao, has said that the key reason why his company lost 160,000 subscribers in the last quarter was that he didn't have an iPhone to sell them. Vodafone's most juicy exclusive over the last year has been the Android-equipped HTC Magic.
Analysts suspect that more carriers offering the handset will lead to prices coming crashing down. Steven Hartley, analyst at technology research house Ovum, said: "There will be a price war. Research shows that in every country where there is more than one operator selling it, it is cheaper".
He expects the contracts to come down by about £5 per month, shaving £120 off the price of the handset when spread over a 2-year contract. The Telegraph also claims that Virgin Mobile are "desperate" to get their hands on the iPhone, too.
We'll keep you posted of pricing and contract details as soon as they're announced.
Via: vodafone.co.uk
Phones, Mobile phones, Vodafone, Orange, O2, iPhone, Apple, Biz, Rumours
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