According to sources both official and unofficial, the Apple 3G iPhone will be on sale in the UK at the end of June from all O2 stores.
Although Vodafone is gong to be selling the 3G iPhone in Italy, along with Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM), it will not be selling it in France, Germany and the UK.
Apple is refusing to confirm any of this, but acknowledges that the statements of its partners Vodafone and TIM to the effect that they will be handling an iPhone (not necessarily a 3G iPhone) are quite correct.
The Vodafone statement says that it's going to be selling the iPhone in Australia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Portugal, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey.
The Apple marketing strategy in not admitting that the Vodafone and TIM statements relate to 3G versions of the iPhone is seen as a teaser ploy to stoke up expectations for the device after last year's launch of the original iPhone in Europe which was a flop.
Last week a TIM executive confirmed that the version of the iPhone it would be selling in Italy is, indeed, the 3G version, and an O2 employee also confirmed that it would be selling a 3G iPhone in the UK but that the release date is not yet confirmed. However a Vodafone employee confirmed that the release date is the end of June.
See also: iSuppli strips down Apple iPhone and iPod touch differencesSee also: Mannerisms, the blog of David Manners. Updated twice daily, it's the distinctive, entertaining, authoritative and never dull commentary on the semiconductor industry, from someone who knows. Sign up for the Mannerisms eNewsletter.