Nokia’s much-hyped flagship handset – the N96 – is now available to buy. That’s what we’d be saying to you if we were in October, because that’s when Nokia’s delayed the phone’s UK launch until.

Retailer Carphone Warehouse got panting punters all aquiver back in March, when it confirmed that the N96 was expected into its stores in August.

However, both CW and Nokia since announced that phone’s offcial release date is 1 October.

Related stories

• Nokia rolls in sportscar-styled Arte phone
• Nokia punts 'understated elegance' talker
• Nokia readies video conferencing robot
• Reviewer puts prototype Nokia N96 to test
• Nokia N96 to land in August
• iPhone-friendly mobile digital telly tuner demo'd
• Nokia unveils the N96 and N78
• Nokia's N95 successor slips out on web

Come October though, the phone will be available through 3, T-Mobile, Phones 4U, Orange, Vodafone and, of course, Carphone Warehouse.

The phone boasts an integrated DVB-H receiver and is much thinner than its predecessor – the N95.

But before you go rushing off to pay your handset reservation fee, you may want to read review of a prototype N96. It makes for interesting reading.