SIM-free unlocked iPhones coming to a channel near you...

Soz, we said NEAR YOU, Blighty... Only in France, Germany, Spain or Sweden

The faint hopes of some Apple resellers were smashed AGAIN this weekend when Ingram Micro became the second tech distributor in a month to confirm it will sell SIM-lock-free Jesus mobes ... in Europe but not the UK.

Following in the shadows of nemesis Tech Data, vast wholesaler Ingram Micro confirmed it is shipping the iPhone 4S, 5S and 5Cs, but only to channel customers in Germany, France, Sweden and Spain – at least initially.

Jac Currie, president at Ingram Micro Mobility, said the move comes "just in time for the important holiday season". This adds to the Apple hardware line-up that Ingram already flogs including iPads and Macs.

But the distie clammed up when we asked if it was going to be widening the sales net to include more than the four countries, saying it was unable to comment beyond what it had agreed with Apple in the press statement.

Similarly Tech Data became less chatty at the start of this month when it was pressed for comment about widening its distribution remit beyond the mainland and into Blighty.

Apple has already set up well-lubricated iPhone channels in the UK that involve numerous telcos and their respective retailers and perhaps more importantly comparatively more Apple stores than in European countries.

There are 37 retail altars to Jobs in the UK, nearly as many Apple Stores as are collectively located in the Germany (12), France (16), Spain (10) and Sweden (3).

And with iPhone sales still breaking Apple's records, this is not a broken formula or one that will likely change soon, expectant resellers in Blighty should note.

Apple refused to comment. ®