Release date reported for Orange iPhone

Orange will start selling the iPhone in the UK a day after O2's exclusivity on Apple's popular handset ends, according to reports.

The Guardian reported on Sunday that Orange would start selling the iPhone on 10 November. O2 launched the iPhone in the UK on 9 November 2007, through an exclusivity deal with Apple that the operator would only describe as "multi-year" — now known to mean 'two-year'.

Orange was the first UK operator other than O2 to announce it would carry the iPhone. It was quickly followed by Vodafone, who say they will carry the handset next year.

Rumours have circulated that 3 intends to do the same, but the operator refused to confirm or deny this speculation on Monday. T-Mobile says it has no intention of carrying the iPhone on an official basis (it resells imported units to some business customers).

Orange would not confirm The Guardian's story on Monday, but instead reiterated its already-stated line that it would launch the iPhone before Christmas.