Tesco to stock Apple's iPhone 3G and 3GS

David Meyer ZDNet UK

Published: 25 Nov 2009 10:03 GMT

Tesco Mobile is to offer Apple's iPhone in both the 3G and 3GS versions, the retail giant announced on Wednesday.

The iPhone originally launched in the UK in 2007, and stayed an O2 exclusive for two years. Orange started stocking the handset earlier this month, and Vodafone will sell it early next year. Tesco is hoping to have the popular device in Tesco Phone Shops before Christmas.

The retailer will also sell the iPhone online through Tesco Direct. Customers will be able the get the smartphone on contract or on a pay-as-you-go plan, a Tesco Mobile spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

"We would love to get it into Tesco stores before Christmas," the spokeswoman told ZDNet UK. "The aim is to bring a bit of Tesco value to the iPhone, and we're delighted our customers will be getting it before some of the other networks."

Tesco Mobile is a joint venture between the retailer and O2, which supplies the underlying network. The joint venture provides different tariffs from O2, and the specific pricing of Tesco Mobile's iPhone is yet to be announced.