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Vodafone is in talks with Apple to launch the U.S. firm's iPhone combined music player and telephone in Europe, which could mean availability in other parts of the world.
The talks partly hinge on volume guarantees and subsidies, a Dutch magazine reported.
Vodafone New Zealand external communications manager Paul Brislen has confirmed that any deal between Apple and the parent company Vodafone Plc, could lead to the ultra-desirable device being made available to network users in New Zealand.
"There's definitely potential that if Vodafone does a group deal with the iPhone that we'll see it available down here," he said this morning.
Apple demanded a guaranteed sales volume for the iPhone, which the British mobile operator did not want to give, Dutch magazine Bright said on its web site.
The magazine said Vodafone was pushing for more scope to subsidise the phone and did not want Apple to have control of the sale price.
Vodafone declined comment on the report.
Vodafone has long been tipped by analysts as an obvious partner for Apple to bring the iPhone to Europe.
Deutsche Telekom has also been mentioned as a possible contender.
Bright said France Telecom's Orange had also been in the running to bring the iPhone to Europe, but that Apple had a preference for Vodafone.
The iPhone goes on sale in the United States on June 29, with AT&T as the exclusive mobile operator.
- REUTERS / NZ HERALD STAFF
