Apple plans to begin selling the upcoming 3G iPhone in some European countries by or before August, according to a New York Times report. Citing a person close to the situation, the article starts with an August target date for the release, then states that Apple wants to start selling the 3G version of the iPhone in Europe before August, when many Europeans take their summer holidays.
The use of both “by” and “before” in the article makes it unclear whether Apple plans to have the 3G iPhone on the market in Europe by the beginning of August, or plans to launch the handset earlier. An Apple spokesperson contacted for the report confirmed the now-official iPhone sales arrangements with Vodafone and TIM in Italy, but declined to comment on whether Vodafone had received exclusivity in other countries, leaving the door open for more multi-carrier arrangements.
Earlier today, Vodafone announced that it would offer the iPhone in ten countries by the end of 2008.