Vodafone joins the iPhone Gang

Mobile operator Vodafone is to start selling the iPhone in the UK and Ireland from early next year. The deals mark an end to the exclusive UK arrangement between O2 and the US technology firm, which has been in place since 2007. Vodafone says users can register an interest online, with the handsets becoming available to customers from early 2010. Vodafone has set up a pre-registration iPhone site for those wanting to sign up to automatically receive more information from the operator when it becomes available.

Apple already offers the iPhone through multiple carriers in many countries, but the company is very careful to maintain control of the platform, regardless of the network from which their customers get their iPhones. Apple considers iPhone users to be Apple customers – network operators are just dumb pipes to Cupertino.