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Waiting for 3G; and French source blows secret iPhone sales figures in Europe

Could Apple be clearing the shelves of its 2.5G iPhones? Reports suggest price cuts on a major scale, and disappointing European sales.

According to sources available to Les Echoes, Orange "has sold only 100,000 units since the November launch, while at the end of January T-Mobile sold 70,000 iPhones in Germany. In UK, Telefonica’s O2 managed to sell 200,000 units."

Reporter Max Brenn, having done the translation work for mobile specialist eFluxMedia reports that "earlier this month, T-Mobile and O2 announced important price cuts for the iPhone."

Best iPhone price right now is the 8GB version which sells for 99 euros until April 30, as a part of a three week promotion. "O2 also dropped the price of the 8 GB version from £269 to £169," says Brenn, while Orange in France sells the device "for 399 euros, with Apple receiving a share of revenues."

In order to comply with the French law, the company offers the unlocked iPhone for 649 euros. That has inhibited sales, says Les Echos.

Read Brenn's summary