May 16 - 12:10pm EDT   The Canadian iPhone is set to be launched in June and will potentially have the least expensive data plan of any carrier announced to date, Electronista has heard. Sources from inside Rogers claim that the device should be available the same month as an expected US release of an updated, 3G-capable model rather than as part of any possible staggered launch. Pricing is still unavailable, though currency values are likely to place the cost of the phone itself closer to the eventual US figure. [full story]

May 15 - 9:30am EDT   Rogers today confirmed that it would carry the BlackBerry Bold for Research in Motion's home country. The smartphone will make use of Rogers' 3G network and isn't expected to lose any features in the transition, including its GPS and Wi-Fi. By using the newer cellular data standard, the Bold is the first BlackBerry on Rogers' network to allow Internet access without interrupting phone calls. [full story]

May 14 - 8:10am EDT   Swiss national carrier Swisscom today revealed that it too will carry the iPhone, making it the fifth new European country after the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, and Portugal confirmed to be offering the device. The provider echoes previous announcements for other providers and doesn't provide specifics as to the devices or plans. The iPhone will be available "later this year," the company says. [full story]

May 12 - 12:00am EDT   Research in Motion tonight revealed the BlackBerry Bold, the next generation of its full-size smartphones. The black-and-chrome device is RIM's first to support 3G on GSM networks with HSDPA access, and is also the first to build in a higher-resolution display: at 480x320, the screen is as sharp as today's iPhone. The Bold's interface undergoes an overhaul to match and comes with a new high-contrast "strip" interface as well as a much more powerful web browser, which adds CSS and Javascript for more complex sites as well as built-in streaming video support. [full story]

May 9 - 2:35pm EDT   Rogers Wireless has quietly launched the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic on its network, becoming the first North American carrier to pick up the device. The bar phone sits in the mid range of Nokia's media phones and includes a column of dedicated music controls as well as a media player that supports AAC, MP3, and WMA; an FM radio tuner is also onboard, as is a microSD slot that holds up to 4GB of storage. [full story]

May 7 - 1:10pm EDT   America Movil today said it would carry the iPhone in Mexico as well as other countries in the region, bringing the device to the western Latin-speaking areas for the first time. The carrier doesn't provide a specific release date for the phone but confirms that the device will be available sometime later in the year. The company is considered one of the largest providers south of the US and serves 16 countries in the Caribbean and South America. [full story]

May 6 - 2:15pm EDT   Fan site Crackberry today landed review an early form of the BlackBerry 9000 has already surfaced today courtesy of a prototype sold without approval online, providing confirmation of most of its features. The handset is now known to be capable of 3G on providers such as AT&T and Rogers, and appears to include both the sharper 480x320 display as well as the updated BlackBerry OS that provides a smoother, more natural interface. [full story]

May 5 - 11:30am EDT   Rogers Wireless is likely to soon pick up two very high-end handhelds for its network, according to observers spotting the additions at HowardForums. The Canadian provider's Hardware Upgrade Program list now shows an entry for the HTC Shift that suggests the company will be the first to offer the device as a carrier-locked option. The Shift is treated as a mobile computer by HTC and uses Windows Vista on a 7-inch touchscreen rather than a mobile operating system, using its 3G access for data rather than calls; a 40GB hard drive, Wi-Fi, and a front video camera are also standard. [full story]

May 5 - 8:55am EDT   Nokia intends to recapture some of its influence in the US market this year with a slew of new phones, the company's primary designer Alastair Curtis said in an interview published today with Finland's Helsingin Sanomat. The creator promises many new models within the "next few months" that are tailored to the needs of US carriers, ending a relative drought of devices in recent years. [full story]

May 2 - 10:35am EDT   Rogers today confirmed one of two key rumors concerning its phone lineup for the spring by announcing it would carry the Nokia N95 8GB. The Canadian provider is the first in North America to officially stock the smartphone and takes advantage of the phone's 3G support for more than is possible on AT&T in the US, including Rogers' VISION two-way video calling service (courtesy of its front camera) and access to the carrier's music store and video streaming services. [full story]

April 30 - 4:45pm EDT   Rogers Communications recently unveiled plans for a Canadian iPhone release, and while official details are scarce, RBC analyst Jonathan Allan predicts the plan will include a "virtually unlimited" data portion of 100 to 200MB per month. According to the National Post, Rogers would offer consumers 250 to 500 anytime minutes, as well as unlimited evenings and weekends after 9PM. Allen suggested the data plan could run for $35 per month, while the phone plan itself would range between $80 and $100. [full story]

April 30 - 12:10pm EDT   Final information about the BlackBerry 9000's features and its initial launch partners has been confirmed, BGR says. The full QWERTY phone will boast its expected 3G access with tri-band HSDPA for both the Americas and elsewhere; it will also be the first BlackBerry to go beyond a basic QVGA (320x240) screen and move up to 480x320. Wi-Fi is onboard; GPS mapping is assisted, however, rather than completely independent. A 2-megapixel camera and a microSD slot will also be part of the design. [full story]

April 29 - 8:15am EDT   Canadian telecoms provider Rogers today issued a brief note confirming that it has negotiated a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to the country, ending uncertainty that has persisted since the American announcement last year. The company is providing few details at this time but expects a launch before the end of 2008, according to a statement by company chief and founder Ted Rogers. [full story]

April 26 - 3:55pm EDT   Two top smartphones may finally be available on an official basis in Canada before the summer, according to separate reports. The Toronto Star cites industry contacts who tell the newspaper that the country's lone major GSM cell provider, Rogers, aims to launch the iPhone in time for it to be included in a campaign promoting touchscreen phones at the company, which will include the upcoming LG Vu and likely earlier devices such as the HTC Touch. The marketing effort will begin sometime between May and July and is allegedly supported by evidence that Apple and Rogers were nearing a finalized deal earlier this year for the latter to carry the iPhone. [full story]

April 16 - 8:25am EDT   The Taiwan-area Economic Daily News paper today appeared to confirm claims of a specific 3G chipset being used for the iPhone by naming the company assigned to manufacture it. Factories for United Microelectronics Corporation have reportedly been contracted to produce the PMB8878 Infineon chipset (incorrectly labeled as PMB878 in the article) at one of the former's more advanced, 65 nanometer process facilities. The move is described as a switch from Taiwan Semiconductor, which is known to manufacture an Infineon chip for the current model, according to the report. [full story]