Vodafone stops stocking the bigger models of iPhone 4S

Vodafone has stopped stocking the iPhone 4S in 32GB and 64GB sizes, Omio reports. Though the network will still offer the 16GB iPhone 4S, a couple of HTC handsets are for the chop, too.

Vodafone detailed its plans in a newsletter to affiliates.

No fewer than six mobiles will no longer be available on Vodafone. These are the 32GB and 64GB iPhone 4S, the grey HTC One X and One V, the BlackBerry Curve 8520, and the Vodafone Smart.

I can understand Vodafone dropping the higher capacity versions of the 4S, seeing as it's now been surpassed by the iPhone 5. And the 16GB 4S will be a decent budget option. But the HTC One X and One V are more puzzling. Presumably they're not selling well. Why else would it drop two handsets that were announced fairly recently? Admittedly it's only the grey version of these mobiles, but still, the fact Vodafone won't be restocking suggests they're coming to the end of their natural lives.

The One X was HTC's top of the range offering, but has been succeeded by the One XL and One X+, both of which Vodafone doesn't offer. The One X has only just been given Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as an update, too. Considering how few Android handsets have Jelly Bean, or even Ice Cream Sandwich for that matter, that's a real selling point.

The One V is a budget handset, while the One S -- which Vodafone will continue to stock -- is the mid-range option.

Dropping the BlackBerry is less of a surprise. RIM replaced the Curve 8520 with the Curve 9320 earlier in the year.

Would you still like the option of a higher capacity iPhone 4S? Or is Vodafone right to drop them? What about the HTC models? Does this spell bad news for the Taiwanese mobile maker? Let me know in the comments below, or on Facebook.