O2 has announced the passing of 2 million iPhone sales in the UK, i.e. one in 30 people has owned an iPhone from O2. Phew! From Reuters- “LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Telefonica’s (TEF.MC) O2 mobile operator has sold 2 million Apple (AAPL.O) iPhones in Britain and seen good sales of the Palm (PALM.O) Pre smartphone, helping it to enjoy a good end to 2009 in the UK.

Matthew Key, the chief executive of Telefonica Europe, and Ronan Dunne, chief executive of O2 UK, told reporters in comments embargoed until Thursday the company was still enjoying a boost from being the first operator to sell the Apple phone.

Operators Orange, owned by France Telecom (FTE.PA), and Vodafone (VOD.L) have also started selling the iPhone in Britain but O2 said it benefited from earlier exclusive sales and being so closely associated with the device.

“It will take a long time before that goes away,” Dunne said. O2, which started selling the iPhone in November 2007, is the leading mobile operator in Britain ahead of Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile (DTEGn.DE) and 3 (0013.HK).”