“Mobile phone operator O2 is reported to have won the sought-after deal to sell Apple’s iPhone in the UK,” BBC News reports.
“Press reports said that O2 is set to sign an exclusive contract shortly and should have the new phones on sale in time for Christmas,” The Beeb reports.
“The agreement with O2 is reported to include Apple receiving a continuing share of the revenue generated for the network operator,” The Beeb reports.
Full article here.
Elizabeth Judge reports for The Times, “O2 has beaten its rivals to win the exclusive UK rights to offer Apple’s iPhone. The tie-up, the mobile phone industry’s most sought-after deal in years, marks a major coup for the 18 million-customer group. The final contract is expected to be signed imminently.”
“The deal will come as a bitter disappointment to Vodafone, which had been tipped as the front-runner for the deal,” Judge reports.
“Arun Sarin, Vodafone’s chief executive, had been pushing hard to secure a deal for the iPhone, which has been at the centre of one of the most fiercely contested mobile battles since the £22.5 billion auction of 3G rights,” Judge reports. “However, as negotiations reached a climax, he is thought to have decided that the commercial terms on offer were not viable.”
Judge reports, “Apple’s agreement with O2 is thought to include a continuing share of the revenues generated by each iPhone customer. O2 ’s network will also have to be specially configured to accommodate the Apple handset. The lure of the Apple brand is expected to lead thousands of UK mobile customers to ditch their existing contracts and switch to the iPhone provider.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Hugh” for the heads up.]