Tesco, Britain's largest supermarket chain has stated that through it's joint venture with O2 it will be offering the Apple iPhone to it's Tesco Mobile consumers. The news comes after Vodafone and Orange announced that they would be offering the iPhone to their customers, thus ending O2's exclusivity deal for the iPhone.

Orange have already started selling the iPhone and on its first day over 30,000 customers purchased an Orange iPhone. Vodafone say they will be offering the device in early 2010. According to the BBC, Tesco have stated that the iPhone will be available in time for Christmas.

Tesco Mobile, like Orange and Vodafone will offer both the older iPhone 3G and the latest handset the iPhone 3GS though its Tesco Mobile stores and online through Tesco Direct. Tesco have already got a Tesco Mobile iPhone page where you can register your interest. It is expected that you'll be able to get the iPhone on Pay As You Go (PAYG) and Pay Monthly tariffs.

There is no word yet on pricing, tariffs or data plans but Tesco say that their prices will be "competitive". However we've heard that before from Orange and their prices turned out to be not that much more competitive than O2's, if at all.

If Tesco Mobile does offer competitive pricing it could spark an iPhone price war between all the mobile operators in the UK. After all, Tesco Mobile's premise is to offer value for money by targeting the lower end of the market. Their most expensive pay monthly plan costs £30, that's almost in line with the cheapest offering for an iPhone on Orange or O2.

Source: BBC