Vodafone plugs iPhone gaps

Mobile operator Vodafone has struck a deal with Apple to sell its iPhone smart phone in 10 markets around the world.

Later this year, Vodafone customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to purchase the iPhone for use on the Vodafone network.

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Vodafone was not one of the carriers which picked up the iPhone contract in its first foray into Europe; Orange was selected as Apple's iPhone partner in France, T-Mobile in Germany and O2 in the UK.

In the US Apple selected AT&T as exclusive carrier for the iPhone.

Speaking at this year's Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona in February, CEO of Vodafone Arun Sarin made reference to the impact of the iPhone on the mobile phone market: "Apple has raised the bar to the iPhone and we all now know how important user interfaces are… We as an industry will have to raise our game to make sure that we can produce the kind of user interface that our customers are now becoming accustomed to."