11/06, 11:10am
Telefonica Europe CEO answers questions
UK iPhone owners subscribed to O2 will indeed be allowed to unlock for other carriers, according to the CEO of O2's parent company, Telefonica Europe. "Once the iPhone becomes available on other UK networks," says Matthew Key, "we will allow O2 customers to unlock their iPhones, although of course they will still need to honour any outstanding contract period they have. At the end of their contract period, they are entirely free to move to another operator -- though naturally we hope they won't want to!"
more
10/19, 11:20am
O2 says Pre strong, gives no iPhone look
O2's British division today said that the UK launch of the Palm Pre was successful. A spokesperson declined to say how many had been sold but told TechRadar that the carrier sold more Pres on Friday than it normally does all other phones. Many of these were also often buying one or sometimes two of Palm's Touchstone inductive charging dock.
more
10/12, 12:35pm
TNS sees Palm pre-launch better than iPhone
The launch of the Palm Pre on O2 could generate more attention than the iPhone did just two years earlier, a TNS study finds today. About 26 percent of 1,000 UK residents polled say they will or probably will buy a Palm Pre for its October 16th British launch; by comparison, only 17 percent planned to get an iPhone when it debuted in fall 2007. Switching is considered just as probable, as 32 percent of those on other UK carriers said they would be willing to switch to O2 to get the Pre.
more
10/09, 2:20pm
O2 UK to carry HD2 in under two weeks
O2 UK has reportedly begun telling customers to expect the HTC HD2 in just over a week. The carrier expects the phone to be available on October 19th, or significantly ahead of HTC's official end-of-month target for the phone. Other carriers have yet to describe their own plans, though T-Mobile is also believed to be picking up the Windows Mobile 6.5 phone in the near future.
more
10/06, 5:05pm
Palm Pixi GSM spotted in Vietnamese leak
A Vietnamese site's access to a prototype has confirmed that Palm is developing a GSM version of the Pixi for use on carriers beyond Sprint and outside of the US. The dissection shows a superficially identical device but, apart from the choice of network, that the phone may carry just 4GB of internal storage instead of 8GB in the version first headed to the US. Its 2-megapixel camera and GPS should remain intact.
more
10/06, 12:10pm
HTC HD2 launches with Win Mobile 6.5
HTC on Tuesday used the kick-off for Windows Mobile 6.5 to launch its widely publicized new flagship smartphone. The HD2 is the first Windows Mobile phone ever to have a capacitive, multi-touch screen and can respond much more quickly and accurately to finger input than the resistive screens most Microsoft-based phones are forced to use. It additionally supports pinching, flicks and other gestures in many apps, making it the first Windows Mobile phone to support iPhone-like commands.
more
10/02, 4:45pm
O2 set to test LTE technology in six countries
Telefonica, which owns the UK-based wireless provider O2, announced that it will begin trial testing of its Long Term Evolution mobile broadband technology in six European countries. The 4G technology will allow for faster wireless data speeds, and the trials will involve hardware from six manufacturers including Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei, NEC, Nokia Siemens Network, and ZTE.
more
10/01, 10:55am
Part of continuing global trend
O2's UK division has temporarily run out of the iPhone 3GS, according to the Telegraph. Both the 16 and 32GB models are no longer available from the company's online store, and most physical outlets are said to have been without phones for two weeks. Supplies of the 32GB model were only depleted on or after September 28th.
more
09/30, 4:25pm
HTC Leo spotted in O2 catalog, has WM 6.5
The HTC Leo has shown up in UK wireless provider's upcoming catalogue, revealing it will be officially called HD2, at least in Europe. The phone is the first Windows Mobile device to use a capacitive touchscreen and multi-touch input, and is due for a release at O2 sometime in mid or late October. The catalog photo shows a standard Windows Mobile 6.5 interface as opposed to the expected TouchFLO 3D from HTC, though it's unclear if this is just O2's particular choice of image or an indication that its HD2 will go without TouchFLO.
more
09/28, 7:40am
Orange UK to carry iPhones in 2009
Orange UK this morning said it has struck a deal with Apple to carry both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS "later this year." The carrier doesn't yet have information regarding phone prices or service plans but does say it will sell the handsets both online, at retail, and at "selected high street partners." No mention is made of Carphone Warehouse, which handles third-party sales for the iPhone today.
more
09/25, 10:55am
App awaited approval for over a year
The European carrier O2 has denied involvement in delaying approval of an iPhone app, 0870, that assists customers with avoiding call fees, according to Guardian Technology. The application is designed to find standard land-line alternatives for businesses using numbers beginning with 084 or 087, which bring additional per-minute charges above the standard rates for the wireless contract.
more
09/24, 9:25am
Palm Pre O2 ships Oct 13 and 16
O2 today finally committed to specific dates for launching the Palm Pre in Europe. The multi-touch smartphone should ship in the UK and Ireland on October 16th and Germany on October 13th. While prices vary by area, UK pricing notably matches the iPhone's and will give the phone away for free on any voice/data plan, which starts from £34 a month. Those who prefer shorter 18-month contracts can get the phone for free with a £44 or £73 monthly rate.
more
09/08, 8:30am
UK divisions of T-Mobile and Orange unite
T-Mobile UK and Orange UK today unveiled plans to merge into a single company. The deal will cost between £600 million and £800 million ($982.4 million to $1.3 billion) to implement but should create the single largest British carrier to date, giving the combined entity about 37 percent of the market and 28.4 million users versus O2's 27 percent. Both also claim improvements for end users as the two should improve coverage by unifying their networks.
more
09/03, 11:35am
Recent incident only one of several
UK carrier O2 has once again encountered severe data interruptions, significantly impacting iPhone owners, multiple sources say. The most recent outages began during the region's Bank Holiday weekend, and O2 has confirmed a problem that "lasted for around two hours on Saturday." According to PC Advisor and comments posted on O2 and Register forums however, outages have extended well past Saturday, running into Wednesday morning.
more
08/11, 2:35pm
Pre at O2 on October 30th?
A Tuesday MyPre report maintains UK wireless provider O2 will release the Palm Pre handset on October 30th, citing sources at the provider. According to the unnamed insider, O2 management informed O2's staff about the release date on Monday, though pricing has not yet been set. The source did say purchase pricing will be close to that of the iPhone 3GS, with the same monthly rates.
more
08/05, 9:30am
O2's UK iPhone deadline
O2's exclusive hold on UK iPhone sales should end October 9th, says Mobile Entertainment. The magazine claims to have seen documentation revealing the deadline, the earliest possible date that rivals such as Orange and T-Mobile could begin selling iPhones. O2 has been the only official carrier in the region since 2007; while it is thought that the company should have general rights until 2012, overriding exclusivity will have to end before 2010.
more
07/31, 12:40pm
iPhone SMS patch on Sat.?
A new iPhone security update should be available on Saturday, claims a spokesperson for the device's UK carrier, O2. "We will be communicating to customers both through the website and proactively," the spokesperson says. Apple has not announced or previewed any iPhone firmware update beyond the major iPhone 3.1 release.
more
07/13, 2:55pm
UK iPhone exclusive ending
O2's UK exclusivity deal for the iPhone may be coming to an end within the next few months, T-Mobile suggests. The latter company says that it is already in talks with Apple, and could begin carrying the iPhone 3G within a matter of months. The iPhone 3GS has not been mentioned by T-Mobile so far, nor is it said to have been brought up by Orange, also rumored to be pushing for UK sales.
more
07/06, 4:00pm
O2 confirms Samsung i7500
UK carrier O2 has become the second carrier to confirm it will be carrying what is being called the most advanced Android handset to date, the Samsung i7500 Galaxy, TechRadar reported on Monday. French wireless provider Bouygues Telecom announced back in May it will begin offering the Galaxy in July, but O2's shipments are expected to begin in August. It's not known whether O2 will be the exclusive carrier of the handset, but it will offer it subsidized with a contract only.
more
07/03, 12:50pm
Palm Pre due at Dutch Hi
Ahead of a scheduled UK launch event next week, Dutch wireless provider Hi has posted a product page on its website advertising the Palm Pre smartphone. Hi is a sub-brand of KPN, which has ties to Telefonica. As Telefonica runs UK carrier O2, which was reported to be the exclusive carrier of the Pre, the posting implies that Telefonica may have landed a multi-country deal. The product page reveals Hi will sell the Pre only subsidized with a contract.
more
07/03, 11:40am
T-Mo UK Swap Deal Rumor
Rather than allow a buyout of its assets, T-Mobile UK is hoping to strike a deal that would let it "swap" its British business for one in another country, sources have said on Friday. Company insiders have tipped off FT that T-Mobile may sell off its UK operations and that Vodafone Turkey would be the "ideal" candidate for the deal due to its second-place rank and relative subscriber base. No talks have been mentioned so far.
more
07/02, 11:55am
JPMorgan on Pre Demand
Sales of the Palm Pre have cooled off to where supply is keeping up with demand, JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster said in an investment note today. He believes that about 270,000 Pres will have shipped in the first month of sales but that waiting lists have largely been reduced, revealing a near-ideal balance in what Palm ships each day. About 40,000 of the smartphones are estimated to now ship each week through Sprint directly, while more should also arrive through Best Buy and Radio Shack.
more
07/01, 3:10pm
Palm Pre O2 Exclusive Leak
Palm's UK event for the Pre will likely reveal O2 to be the sole carrier if tips are authentic. More than one source has told The Guardian that earlier rumors are true and that Palm is likely to imitate Apple's strategy for the island nation, which both gives O2 sole network rights and Carphone Warehouse the only third-party rights to sell the phone on O2's behalf. Reportedly, it has also echoed O2's coup for the iPhone by thwarting an attempt by Orange to land the same deal.
more
07/01, 11:25am
O2 sells out of iPhone 3GS
O2 UK has sold out of the iPhone 3GS, according to the carrier's inventory tracker. Citing "phenomenal demand," the company says it has run out of stock for every ordering method, including online, by phone and at retail locations. More stock is only expected by the end of the week, though O2 adds that the iPhone 3G remains available everywhere.
more
07/01, 10:05am
Palm Pre UK Next Week
Palm today told the UK press that it will hold an event July 7th regarding the Pre. The company stops short of confirming it as a launch event, but it's commonly assumed by Pocket-lint and others that the gathering next week will provide details of Pre with GSM and HSPA-based 3G and will likely include a release window as well as details of which carriers will sell the smartphone. Pricing is also a possibility.
more
06/29, 8:15am
Vodafone May Buy T-Mo UK
An apparent leak late Sunday suggests that Vodafone may be interested in buying T-Mobile's British division. Reported sources for FT have the former either buying the smaller UK carrier or else establishing a joint venture. The deal would be possible thanks to T-Mobile's widely rumored dire financial state, which may have left the company with little choice but to look for a partner.
more
06/25, 11:55am
New German iPhone carrier
Germany will be the next country to break away from having a single iPhone carrier, Der Spiegel reports. Since 2007, the device has only been carried in the country by T-Mobile, a division of Deutsche Telekom. The company has benefited from a regional exclusivity deal with Apple, similar to that signed by all carriers involved in selling the original hardware. Debut countries also included the US, UK and France.
more
06/17, 11:40am
Vodafone N97 Mini Claim
Vodafone Ireland may have divulged some of its future plans today through a post on its forums discussing new smartphones. While denying that Vodafone will get the just-launched N97, a spokesperson does claim that the carrier will get a device known as the "N97 Mini" as well as the better-known BlackBerry Storm sequel. What the N97 Mini would involve isn't known other than "competitive pricing" when compared to the expensive full-size model.
more
06/09, 11:45am
Verizon Palm Pre January
Verizon's edition of the Palm Pre is slated to launch almost immediately after Sprint's exclusivity period ends, a leak would suggest. In referring to a person "familiar with the situation," the Wall Street Journal understands that the Pre will ship through Verizon in January. Sprint has maintained that its exclusive is longer than six months but, if true, would only have the Pre to itself for one month more before allowing other US carriers to sell it.
more
05/01, 12:45pm
Apple in Brandz Top 100
Apple and its US carrier AT&T are some of the most important technology companies in terms of brand worth, the latest Brandz Top 100 ranking (PDF) from MillwardBrown indicates. Gauging them not just on their actual income but also their social impact, the firm estimates that Apple has the sixth-largest brand value in the world and has seen the rough value of its brand climb 14 percent to about $63.1 billion. AT&T ranked 28th but was also one of the fastest-rising companies, jumping 67 percent to just over $20 billion.
more
05/01, 10:20am
T-Mobile UK May Merge
T-Mobile's UK division may merge with a rival or even sell off its assets if it can't recover from major losses, its CFO Timotheus Hoettges said at the cellphone carrier's annual shareholder's meeting. The British group may have to write down the equivalent of $2.4 billion in costs for just the first quarter of 2009 and is considering any steps it can take to cut these expenses. Which is more likely isn't known, though the executive sees a merger as one of the most practical ways to address the problem.
more
04/27, 3:40pm
Vodafone iPhone portal
The UK division of Vodafone has launched a beta version of an iPhone web portal, regional reports observe. The site is customizable, and offers access to news content from the likes of Sky and the BBC, as well as games, weather and traffic info, plus access to services such as Flickr and Twitter. Notably, the Vodafone Homepage is described as "available to all iPhone users including non-Vodafone customers."
more
04/27, 9:15am
Samsung i7500 Android
Samsung today became the second company ever to formally launch a smartphone based on Google's Android platform. The i7500 is one of the thinnest full touchscreen phones at 0.47 inches deep and is also billed as one of the most advanced: it centers on a 3.2-inch, 320x480 AMOLED screen that not only provides much better color accuracy and brightness but also helps extend battery life. A 5-megapixel camera with autofocusing and flash gives it the most advanced photography of any Android phone, while it's also the first with the OS to have 8GB of built-in memory on top of a microSDHC card slot.
more
04/20, 1:30pm
UK iPhone sales sluggish
Sales of the iPhone are faring poorly at third-party UK vendor Carphone Warehouse, writes The Telegraph. The official carrier for the UK, O2, recently enacted new discounts, in which an 8GB iPhone is free with a £35 monthly subscription, and a 16GB model is free with a £45-per-month plan. Either option also requires agreeing to a two-year contract, however, rather than a standard 18-month period.
more
04/08, 4:05pm
UK Pushing for 900MHz 3G
British cellular carriers O2 and Vodafone are being asked by the government to share their 3G spectrum as part of an effort to supply rural broadband. Although the two providers are currently the exclusive holders of the 900MHz band for faster wireless data, officials at the independent regulator Ofcom are asking the two to allow at least one other carrier to share the space and build out coverage in those areas that aren't already served.
more
03/20, 9:30am
O2 iPhones discounted
Adding substance to recent rumors, UK carrier O2 has announced expanded availability for free iPhones. Beginning on April 3rd instead of the hinted May, O2 says it will offer an 8GB phone for free alongside a £35 monthly plan, and a 16GB phone for free with a £45 plan. In either case, a two-year subscription will be required.
more
03/12, 4:45pm
O2 planning May price cut?
UK phone carrier O2 is poised to drop prices on the iPhone 3G come May, claims a regional magazine. Mobile cites exclusive information, pointing to the device becoming free with £35 or £45 per month subscriptions. The 8GB iPhone is currently free with £45 and £75 plans, while the 16GB model is free only at the £75 level. Practical costs of iPhone ownership can rise as high as £159 a month.
more
02/27, 7:35pm
Nokia Skype plans
Nokia's plans to offer Skype on its Nseries handsets has stirred conflict with several cellular carriers. O2 and Orange have reacted negatively to the suggestion of introducing VoIP services on the upcoming N97, according to Mobile. The disagreement could drive the carriers to reject consideration for the device altogether if Nokia does not pull the Skype client.
more
02/26, 1:30pm
UK iPhone hits 1 million
Over 1 million iPhones have been sold in the United Kingdom, regional carrier O2 has announced. The company has typically been reticent about publishing iPhone figures, making the new number one of the few available; the announcement may in fact reveal that sales of the iPhone have been unexpectedly slow, given free publicity provided by the media, and the UK's status as one of the first regions to receive the device.
more
02/18, 5:35pm
HSPA+ in Italy, Germany
Ericsson on Wednesday announced it will partner with wireless provider Telecom Italia to bring wireless data speeds as fast as 28Mbps when downloading and 5.8Mbps when uploading thanks to HSPA+ technology. Milan will be the first Italian city to offer the fast speeds in June, with a nationwide rollout due for the second half of the year. At the same time, Telefónica O2 Germany has said it will launch its HSPA+ network for cellphones and computers in the second half of the year in Munich.
more
02/17, 1:15pm
Novatel HSPA+ modems
At Mobile World Congress on Tuesday, Novatel Wireless announced it will soon release the Ovation MC996D USB modem. The adapter is Novatel's first capable of accessing HSPA+ data networks and reaches download speeds of up to 21.6Mbps and 5.76Mbps in uploads, or about three times faster than current 3G networks. The modem operates on the 900MHz and 2,100MHz frequencies, allowing users to access the Internet from most places around the world outside of North America. The device doubles as a data storage device, supporting microSDHC memory cards up to 32GB in size.
more
01/23, 10:50am
Nokia Ships 1m 5800 Phones
Nokia has finished the week by revealing on Friday that it has shipped 1 million copies of its 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen phone. The Symbian S60 device has reached the milestone roughly two months after its November ship date and despite relatively limited availability early in the year that limited the phone to a just a handful of regions that include Hong Kong and Russia. About half of this number was shipped just in December, the company has also mentioned in discussing its financial performance yesterday.
more
12/17, 4:35pm
O2 Germany Xda Guide
Wireless provider O2 Germany has introduced the O2 Xda Guide smartphone on Wednesday, which will replaced the company's current Xda Orbit 2. The 2.8-inch 320x240 touchscreen device features a design exclusive to O2 and is running on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. The smartphone supports GSM, GPRS and EDGE data networks as well as UMTS, HSDPA and HSUPA. O2 is bundling the handset with a 1GB microSD card that contains TomTom Navigator 7 software along with map information for Germany, Austria and Switzerland to work in conjunction with its GPS sensor.
more
11/07, 12:55pm
O2 iPhones stolen in UK
European iPhone retailer O2 will be implementing new security measures after the theft of eight iPhones from its displays last week. Mobile is reporting that the thefts were all at one store on Oxford Street, a major retail center in London. The phones were stolen from a display table, where O2 prefers to keep live iPhones in an effort to have them sell themselves via features.
more
11/05, 9:35am
UK, Swiss iPhone sales
UK sales of the iPhone have diminished in recent weeks, sources claim. Regional carrier O2 is said to be selling between 18,000 and 20,000 phones per week, down from recently-quoted levels of about 27,000, and an early high of 50,000. The reason for the decline is uncertain, but is said to be attributable to the Android-based T-Mobile G1, and Research in Motion's BlackBerry Storm, both of which have been highly anticipated and are due to release soon in the UK.
more
09/26, 10:45am
O2 denies MacBook rumors
UK telecom company O2 has denied rumors of a special MacBook bundle, according to a new report. An industry magazine, Mobile, had suggested that the company wanted to exploit its partnership with Apple, which originated with the first-generation iPhone. O2 was allegedly in discussions to begin selling MacBooks bundled with some form of Internet access, whether fixed or cellular; the notebooks would be cheaper than Apple's own, but only because of subsidies on O2's part.
more
09/11, 11:30am
High iPhone sales in UK
The UK continues to maintain high sales of the iPhone 3G two months into availability, says Mobile. The publication says it has learned that some 27,000 phones are being sold each week in the region, making for a marketshare somewhere between 4 to 6 percent of cellphones. At times, a source suggests, this number can climb closer to 10 percent, although it has typically settled down within a short space of time.
more
09/05, 11:55am
3 UK interested in iPhone
British cellular carrier 3 UK may set its sights on selling the iPhone in the future, according to the company's CEO. Kevin Russell, who has only been in charge of the company for a year, says he is very interested in the iPhone, despite the company's recent rejection of a focus on media content, mainly video. "We are quite simple -- we provide communications-based services," says Russell. "I do not see us pushing to create a whole series of revolutionary behaviors -- what I do see is us helping people to do what they do today, when they are out and about."
more
09/01, 11:10am
O2 Pay & Go iPhone pricing
UK carrier O2 has announced its special Pay & Go pricing for the iPhone 3G, a match to contract plans which have been available since July. The Pay & Go options will only become available on September 16th, and will cost £350 for an 8GB phone, or £400 for a 16GB model. Each choice will get users a free year of web browsing and Wi-Fi hotspot access, after which point data will cost £10 per month.
more
08/20, 9:50am
Palm Treo Pro Official
Palm today corrected its premature launch yesterday with a more formal introduction of the Treo Pro, including its launch information. The Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone is the first major redesign of GSM-based Treos and sports a normal headphone jack, a Wi-Fi toggle button, and a hardware ringer switch like the iPhone. It also becomes the first Treo to support tri-band HSDPA for 3G access on AT&T and similar carriers and uses true GPS for navigation.
more
