Apple gears up for the rush as iPhone 3G hits shops

CUSTOMERS wanting to buy Apple’s new iPhone 3G will not have to wait long to get their hands on the device because supply is not expected to be a problem.

O2, Apple’s exclusive network carrier in Ireland, will have the device on sale in its retailing outlets from today.

“There is a very strong interest in this particular device and we expect demand to be high,” said O2 spokeswoman Majella Fitzpatrick.

But O2’s initial stock of the iPhones is quite limited. “We will be selling it on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

O2 will be working closely with Apple to get additional iPhone 3Gs and is confident that all customers who want the device will get one over the next few weeks.

The iPhone 3G is so called because it allows users to surf the internet at fast speeds using the 3G mobile phone network.

“It will be as close to the experience as you get surfing the net on your personal computer and that is the big plus,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

And, unlike the original iPhone that only became available in Ireland last March, the new device has built-in GPS software that effectively turns it into a satellite navigation system.

The subsidised iPhone 3G device price will be subsidised and priced according to which of the three iPhone subscription tariffs a customer chooses to sign up to.

The subsidised price for an 8GB iPhone 3G starts at €49 with a monthly tariff of €100; or €99 on the €65 tariff and €169 on the €45 tariff.

The 16GB iPhone 3G will cost €129 on the €100 monthly tariff option; €169 on the €65 tariff and €229 on the €45 tariff.

O2 will not reveal how many people bought the original device and will now be able to upgrade to the new one.

Ms Fitzpatrick said she had not yet held an iPhone 3G but, as the owner of the original device which she loves, was looking forward to trying it out.

She admitted, however, that she still uses a Blackberry mobile phone at work. Another new feature of the iPhone is that work and personal emails are delivered straight to the phone as soon as they drop into a computer’s inbox so it should appeal to Blackberry users wanting their email on the go.

Existing iPhone owners can also give the free iPhone 2.0 software a try and decide if it is sufficient for their needs.

Apple has sold more than six million iPhones worldwide since they first went on sale in the United States last July. The company hopes to sell more than 10 million by the end of the year.