Vodafone – which claims to be the world’s largest mobile operator by revenue – has struck an agreement with Apple to sell the iPhone in ten of its markets around the world. The operator has not released specific launch details, but says its customers in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey will be able to buy the device for use on the Vodafone network in each country “later this year.” Vodafone has not confirmed if the deal is exclusive in each market, a business model Apple has so far adopted with partners AT&T (US), O2 (UK and Ireland), T-Mobile (Germany and Austria) and Orange (France). However, Vodafone’s deal in Italy is certainly not exclusive; Telecom Italia today announced that it will be sharing the rights with Vodafone to sell the iPhone by the end of the year.

Reports suggest the model launched by Vodafone and Telecom Italia could be a new 3G version of the device, rumoured to be unveiled this summer. The Guardian recently reported that, in the UK, O2 and Carphone Warehouse have sold out of the first-generation version of Apple’s iPhone and will not be restocking their shelves ahead of the launch of a new version of the device over the summer. Last week Canada’s largest mobile operator Rogers Wireless confirmed it will also launch Apple’s iPhone later this year. Last month, Apple reiterated its plan to ship 10 million iPhones in 2008, capturing one percent of the global mobile phone market. The company sold approximately four million iPhones last year.