The Times UK has an interesting report about the Europe iPhone sales flop, saying that the combined efforts of O2, Orange and TMobile “sold 330,000 units to the end of December, but industry sources say that European sales of the iPhone were forecast to be between 500,000 and 600,000.” Sounds to me like allot of people across the pound wanted to wait for 3G or just couldn’t give a toss about the iPhone.

We all know Europe is RIM and Nokia territory and it will take something big from Apple to change allot of buyers and loyalist minds. But at the same time we all know Apple is quite capable of pulling something big out of thing air - and this is where things get interesting.

The article goes onto say that:

“Apple is expected to launch its new phone in June.

Times Online understands that Apple has placed an order with its Asian suppliers to produce 200,000 of the new 3G iPhones by the end of May, rising to 2 million - 500,000 per week - in June.

…

Industry sources told Times Online that the device will have a “radically different” appearance to the current device, which has a 4.5 inch screen and slick, aluminum backing. Among the possibilities are flip version, which would enable the screen to be larger, and a sliding model with a regular qwerty keyboard - as opposed to a touchscreen one.

“I think ultimately you going to see multiple versions,” one Asia-based analyst, said. “One for customers who want it principally as a music and video device, which will be similar to the existing model, one for people who want to communicate - with the keyboard, and one for people who want it as a substitute for their laptop - that will let them browse the internet on a larger screen.”

…

Ms Huberty suggested that Apple will eventually break with its policy of favouring one network to be the exclusive distributor of the iPhone in a given territory — possibly as early as next year.

She said that many had suggested that Apple’s exclusive contracts with the carriers would last for five years, whereas it was more likely they were for two years. That meant that from June next year in the US — October next year in the UK — Apple would be selling the iPhone to other carriers.”

This is all pretty cool news and suggests that Apple should be announcing some new models with new radical designs, and (maybe) an unlocked version of the iPhone, maybe in time for when those 2 year contracts are up in 2009. I am liking the idea of a business class slider with a full qwerty and 4.5″ LCD display - I guess we will all have to wait and see what Stevie announces in June.

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