Vodafone helped develop the Treo 750v, so it makes sense that the smartphone is only available through them. But a source has told me that Vodafone will lose its exclusivity next year.

I can't be more specific (I promised my source), but expect other service providers to be able to offer the smartphone after the first quarter of 2007 ends. Hopefully, once that happens, more users around the world will be able to enjoy the 750v's mixture of great ergonomics (the lack of an antenna makes it more compact than its predecessors) and the power of Windows Mobile.

In the meantime, SmarTone-Vodafone (in Hong Kong) and Vodafone New Zealand are now offering the device to their respective subscribers.