“Apple has a two-year break clause in its deal with O2, under which the operator is the exclusive UK network for the iPhone, according to people familiar with the situation,” Parker reports. “O2 began selling the iPhone in November 2007 and the operator is in discussions with the US technology company about what arrangements will be put in place from November.”
Parker reports, “No final decisions have been taken, but at least one of O2’s rivals has been in discussions with Apple about the possibility of selling the iPhone this autumn. O2 could continue to sell the iPhone, but on a non-exclusive basis.”
“O2 has sold about 1.5m iPhones and it highly values users of the handsets because they usually spend more than other customers,” Parker reports. “Vittorio Colao, Vodafone’s chief executive, admitted last month that the company’s UK business was being hurt because it did not sell the iPhone.”
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