May 14 - 11:15am EDT   Telefonica Europe chief Matthew Key today said that his company would make a joint announcement with Apple regarding the iPhone within weeks, hinting at a near term launch for an anticipated 3G upgrade to the cellphone. Key, whose telecoms group operates O2 in Ireland, the UK, and other countries, hasn't directly confirmed the device when asked about its existence but alludes to both its release and a possible expansion of service beyond just the O2 brand. [full story]

May 8 - 10:55am EDT   UK residents worried that they may no longer be able to get a 2.5G iPhone are safe, reports say. Although Carphone Warehouse sold out last week, and the O2 website presently states that neither the 8GB or 16GB iPhones are available, representatives from both retailers say that more stocks are inbound or already present for some of their sales venues. O2 notes that more 16GB iPhones have been ordered for web sales, while its high street retail stores should still have some in stock. [full story]

May 8 - 9:10am EDT   Best Buy and Carphone Warehouse on Thursday announced that they would create a new, jointly-run company to exploit each other's strengths. The total investment will equate to $4.2 billion and will see both the American electronics retailer and the British phone reseller take 50 percent stakes in the new venture, including both a financial stake as well as equal share in the 2,400 stores that make up the combined effort. Carphone Warehouse will continue to keep its landline businesses, while Best Buy will continue to own just under a three percent direct stake in its European counterpart. [full story]

May 8 - 7:35am EDT   British carrier O2 today issued a statement on its website (not available outside of the UK) that the company has stopped selling the current-generation iPhone. Both the 8GB and 16GB models are listed as "no longer available" and have not been given a restocking date by the provider. Apple itself continues to list both versions as shipping within 24 hours, though independent phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has also reported selling out all its supply without expectations of new shipments. [full story]

May 2 - 9:05am EDT   Stock of the 16GB iPhone has run out at third-party retailer Carphone Warehouse, says British newspaper The Guardian. This means that Carphone has completely sold out of the iPhone, as the 8GB version very recently sold out, and the company says that it has no intention of replenishing stocks in anticipation of a new iPhone expected during the summer. The same is said to be true of official UK carrier O2, although the company should still have some 16GB phones in its inventory. [full story]

April 25 - 10:05am EDT   Two of the three vendors of the UK iPhone report they are out or nearly out of 8GB stock, according to multiple sources. The most deeply affected is Carphone Warehouse, which has confirmed a message from the Tradedoubler ad network, asking websites to stop promoting the £100 discount on 8GB phones as Carphone is out of stock. People can still technically order an the model from the vendor's website, but it is said that Carphone does not "expect to receive any additional stock at this time." [full story]

April 21 - 6:30pm EDT   Sales of iPhones jumped rapidly throughout England last week, according to reports. O2 stores in London, Newcastle and Birmingham are said to have sold out entirely on April 16th, and only recently replenished their stocks. Meanwhile, a staffer from Carphone Warehouse's Oxford Street store in London says the location received a one-time doubling of daily sales from 30 to 60. [full story]

April 15 - 9:25am EDT   The price of the 8GB iPhone is set to fall dramatically in the UK beginning Wednesday, according to reports. Starting on that date, the cost of the phone will drop a considerable £100, to sit at £169 ($335). The deal lasts until June 1st, and is applicable under any O2 tariff. The 16GB iPhone should remain unaffected, priced at £329 ($652). [full story]

April 7 - 5:00pm EDT   Europe's Carphone Warehouse is coming to the US, reports say. The company is an independent cellphone vendor, and has some 2,300 stores scattered throughout European countries. It is now planning to open almost 1,000 stores in America, thanks to a partnership with big-box retailer Best Buy, which owns a 3 percent stake in Carphone. Some of these will be boutiques within Best Buy shops, but others will operate separately in different locations. The first American outlets should launch later this year. [full story]