NEWS IN BRIEF: TechCrunch is reporting that Nokia has acquired Plazes, a German social network. Pricing has not been disclosed.

It plans to keep its thirteen employees and its Berlin office, but the network will be under Nokia's Services & Software unit.

The Wall Street Journal is suggesting that Google's Android suite of mobile software will be hit with delays after it and 30 other partners are having problem to meet with the deadline of the fourth quarter of 2008.

It also suggests that the hold up of the suite is due to T-Mobile's plans to launch a device in the fourth quarter and that is taking the attention away from other carriers, an executive reshuffle at Sprint and its Chinese partner, China Mobile, is having trouble translating Android into Chinese characters.

Also, developers are also having a hard time to write applications for the suite after Google keeps making changes to the source code to finish its own software.

Telstra has now said that it will sell the iPhone in Australia, being the third carrier in the nation to announce it will be carrying the prized machine; joining rivals Optus and Vodafone.

However, it will be two weeks late than its rivals, selling it on July 22, not July 11. it is expected that it will sell the latest iPhone. It will operate on the rare 850 Mhz frequency, the Next G frequency that Telstra uses.

Now we have to wait if 3 is going to sell the iPhone. If so, Australia will be the only country where all of its carriers will carry the iPhone.

RUMOUR MILL: I still can't believe there are more rumours about the iPhone. Gizmodo is reporting that some people have been emailing them that the people in the 3 stores or their customer care line that they are likely to get the iPhone after July 11.

There has no confirmation, but a "There's no official update". So secretive - yet, so little time.

Is this the price for the iPhone in Australia? (Source)

RUMOUR MILL: APC claims that they know the pricing of the iPhone in Australia, which is above this article. The screenshot comes from Domayne's point of sale system.

But you might want to look away since the pricing is way expensive. These prices are also claimed to be "outright prices". The 8GB version would cost $699.99 (or US$656.24) and the 16GB version would cost $999.99 (or US$937.49). Compare that to the US pricing - but those prices are subsidised by AT&T.

However, don't get your hopes up just yet. The model numbers (MB666P/A) done on a Google search takes you to a discussion thread on MacTalk Forums. As well, it could be a fake - since the numbers '666' may be just a placeholder; or a joke indicating that the iPhone is the devilphone (OK, I stole it from them).

Remember - these could be fake! So just keep waiting (until July 11).

Telstra is unlikely to offer the iPhone by the July 11 launch date after its negotiations broke down with Apple, the makers of the prized iPhone, according to the Australian Financial Review.

The disagreement came when Telstra wanted to put its Sensis products, including its navigational tool Whereis, on the iPhone preloaded. Telstra is also believed to have agreed to order tens of thousands of iPhones during the negotiation process.

However, this does not stop them getting the iPhone later this year, but it would dent some of its consumer base as people would go to other networks to get the 'must-have' gadget in Australia.

Telstra has revealed that more of its support contact centre operation will be going to the Philippines.

Telstra has said that there will be no staff lost during the new movie, but they will provide support as Australian workers will be training to deal with a new billing system being installed.

As well, Australian credit management staff will also commence additional trading in managing peak call volumes - as they are expecting an increase when the new system is introduced.

TelisSonera has announced that it will bring the iPhone to all the Nordic and Baltic countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

The iPhone was not available in those areas. TeliaSonera, however, does not have a contract to release it in Spain and the emerging markets of Eurasia (including Russia and Turkey) - where it offers its services.

It comes after Orange announcement that it had secured another deal to release it into another dozen countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

As well, Vodafone announced that it would distribute the iPhone in ten countries, including Australia - where it shares the contract with Optus, where its owner SingTel has a contract to release it in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region.