Vodafone launches UK iPhone portal - iPhone coming next?

With UK-centric content, such as BBC News, Top Gear magazine and The Register, it doesn't seem likely that this portal is for any overseas Vodafone operations where the company already sells the iPhone.

So, we have to start wondering if Vodafone will be getting the as-yet-unannounced 3rd generation iPhone, meaning the exclusivity agreement with O2 is going to expire once and for all.

If the deal with O2 is due to come to an end (and this has been rumoured for months, with speculation that Orange would be supplying the iPhone to UK users before Christmas 2008 - and that never happened), will Vodafone be getting an exclusive or does this mean that, at last, Apple is going to make the iPhone available to everyone that wants one - on any network?

SIM-free iPhone's are now available in the UK, which might give further credibility to the rumour - but the only way to know for sure is to wait. What Mobile believes that Apple will not want any more exclusives as the iPhone has reached a level of success that can only be improved by removing any barriers for consumers hungry for the phone, but not wishing to change network.

In the meantime, pop along to http://portal.beta.vodafone.com from your web browser (or better yet, your iPhone - locked or unlocked) and have a look for yourself.

UPDATE: Follow the thread on our forum.

See the Flash demo here: