[pitbullster]

Well we might as well kick off this week (no one counts Sunday as the first day of the week anymore, do they?) as we ended the last one: iPhone news.

With the hotly awaited device now unleashed onto the American masses (or at least the lucky few) talk has predictably moved to the iPhone's global launch. To this end creditable source NewsWireless claims a multi-telco deal has now been finalised with Vodafone, T-Mobile and retail outlet Carphone Warehouse to bring a 3G version of the iPhone to Europe.

The report goes further too reporting that T-Mobile CEO Rene Oberman is "ecstatic" at the joint contract while Vodafone's recent decision to [linkout: drop its data prices] and Apple's decision to embrace 3G (remarkable if true) has warmed it to the product. For Carphone Warehouse this would also be a massive coup. Of the networks which missed out, Orange is said to have walked away given its propensity for strong on-device branding and its request to customise the now famous interface – something Apple turned down point blank.

Of course all of this remains speculation until one of these companies (please someone!) makes an official statement and there has to be a huge question mark over whether Apple would short change customers in its US homeland with an upgraded device for Europeans just a few days after launch. More realistic is that a 3G iPhone will be announced for an end of year global launch (possibly with these European partners) so we can start salivating all over again...

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