英国最大的手机零售商Vodafone发表的最新消息势必对苹果旗下的金苹果“iPhone”产生巨大市场压力。Vodafone已经于日前与移动电子邮箱业务出名的BlackBerry签下联手协议，在今年圣诞期间推出其首款触摸屏手机BlackBerry Storm。

该款BlackBerry的最新手机具有创新性的屏幕触摸按键来避免传统触摸屏手机中因误点击所造成的拨打电话问题。更吸引人的是，所有人都可以通过Vodafone的店铺以每月35英镑（约合人民币430元）的价格签约免费获得该款最新的智能手机。

据悉，该最新产品将定位在普通公众上而非BlackBerry之前所擅长的商务人士市场以拓展其产品市场占有率。不难预料的，该款新手机的上市将对苹果旗下的iPhone造成不小的冲击。

Vodafone will put pressure on Apple's iPhone with news that it has clinched an exclusive deal to offer the first touchscreen phone made by mobile email specialist BlackBerry in time for Christmas.

The BlackBerry Storm, which has a revolutionary "clickable" touchscreen that prevents a user accidentally sending an email or making a call, will be free for anyone willing to sign up to a £35 a month contract with Vodafone . A pre-pay version is also being planned.

The device is aimed at the consumer market rather than the corporate world, which is already dominated by existing BlackBerry devices with their trademark tiny keypads. It faces serious competition in the festive market from the Apple phone and two other recently announced touchscreen devices: the G1, which has Google's Android software and is exclusive to T-Mobile, and the 5800 XpressMusic from Nokia, which Orange confirmed it will be offering, although it is unclear if it will be out by Christmas.

Vodafone has been allowing pre-registration for the device on its UK website and is already getting 1,000 applications a day.

（内容提供：英国使馆文化教育处，英语点津Helen 编辑）