14 DAY TRIAL // iPhone 3G, the older iteration of Apple's highly popular mobile device, is expected to become available in the UK via a wider range of wireless carriers, the latest news around the Web suggests. Currently, the smartphone is available in the country exclusively via O2, yet it seems that other carriers, including Orange and T-Mobile UK, plan on getting the device available on their airwaves.
There are no official words on the possible availability of the iPhone 3G via more operators, but SlashGear states that the negotiations between Orange and T-Mobile UK, on the carrier side, and Apple have already kicked off, and that they are the result of the presence on the market of the latest flavor of iPhone, the 3GS.
Moreover, there are some rumors that also suggest that T-Mobile has already slipped the word via its customer service that the second-gen smartphone will come to its lineup and that it is currently in talks with Apple regarding the deal.
According to the speculations, O2 will maintain the exclusivity deal it has with Apple for the selling of the iPhone 3GS, yet the predecessor will be opened up for new carrier deals. In case this proves true, O2 will have to work hard on two fronts at the same time. On the one hand, it will have to convince customers that the iPhone 3GS deserves to be purchased, while also marketing its carrier position in comparison with other carriers in the country.
When it comes down to what Apple has to gain from allowing others to carry its older device, the rumors point towards higher sales of the handset, given the fact that there are certainly customers that won't choose O2 as their operator, something that affects the sales of its devices. On the other hand, it has been also suggested that O2's exclusivity on launching the Palm Pre in the UK has affected its relations with Apple.