Mobile operators begin Nokia N8 push

The Nokia N8 release has been delayed till the end of August

T-Mobile and Vodafone have opened pre-registrations for Nokia's upcoming N8 smartphone.

Neither operator has confirmed actual UK release dates or pricing for the N8, which is the first Nokia handset to run the latest Symbian ^3 operating system.

However, T-Mobile and Vodafone have provided details on how to register for updates on availability as and when they happen.

The N8 smartphone was originally slated for release in April, but Nokia confirmed last week that it will not be released until the end of August. V3.co.uk got its hands on a demo version in June.

T-Mobile and Vodafone had not responded to requests for further details at the time of writing.

The delayed release will not help Nokia's fortunes, after the firm reported another consecutive quarter of falling profits following the erosion of its share of the global smartphone market at the hands of rivals.

In response to last week's poor results, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi said that the N8 will be key to any Nokia recovery.

Milanesi also suggested that the delay could be down to worldwide shortages in components used in the Amoled screen, given its popularity in many of the latest smartphones.

"There might be problems around the Amoled supply chain," she said. "But I would have to confirm that."

Nokia claimed recently that it will sell 50 million handsets, including the N8, over the lifespan of Symbian ^3.