According to a report from Piper-Jaffray's Gene Munster, the exclusive carrier deal that Apple inked with AT&T is nearing its conclusion, and the analyst is suggesting that as early as 2010 could see the handset liberated and offered for several carriers.

Munster's thinking is that Apple has grown weary of trying to lure potential customers to a new handset and instead has decided to offer it to any carrier that wants to pay the price for the iPhone. In doing so, Munster believes that Apple can take a much larger share of the overall handset market.

There could be another angle here, however. Perhaps Apple is looking to ink a new, even more lucrative exclusive deal. Rather than make it free to everyone, perhaps they will ask carriers to bid against one another and achieve a ridiculous mark-up/subsidy figure on each handset from a telco desperate to take (or keep) the millions of iPhone users.

Then again, maybe Apple will go ahead and ask a ridiculous subsidy price, open up the iPhone to multiple telcos and sell even more.

Regardless, things are definitely looking up for Apple's one-button superstar right now.

01 Sep 2009