This one skipped under my radar, but I have been looking for the official word on how O2 are handling the iPhone 3G launch this Friday. Well, below is their official press release. Of note is the fact that any existing user can buy an iPhone PAYG sim card from July 11th too. This can be topped up as you use it and for £10 per month you get unlimited data and wi-fi access. No word on if these sim cards will be free, or if you can get one of the myriad of free O2 sims and then just get it put on the iPhone deal, but I will let you know this as soon as I find out. Here follows the press release.
O2 announced this week, that Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 3G will go on general sale from 8.02am on Friday 11 July in O2, Apple and Carphone Warehouse retail stores*. To ensure fairness, O2 will sell the device on a strictly first come, first served basis to both new and upgrading customers in all retail outlets.
Demand for the revolutionary device is already at unprecedented levels, far in excess of the original iPhone. “We’ve never seen any mobile device create the excitement and demand of the iPhone 3G,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO of O2 in the UK. “We want to ensure that everyone who wants an iPhone 3G can get one so we’ll be working with Apple to continually replenish our supplies throughout the summer.”
This morning customers who had pre-registered their interest in iPhone 3G were given the opportunity to purchase via O2’s online shop (http://shop.o2.co.uk) a limited stock of devices which had been set aside. The response was so great that the online store completely sold out of iPhone 3Gs within just a few hours. Though O2 had invested several million pounds to increase the order capacity of the site (with order processing capacity increased by over 250 times its normal rate), at times the site still couldn’t process the sheer weight of demand.
Details of when new supplies of iPhone 3Gs will be available via the O2 online shop will be updated regularly via the website.
Business customers can from today also start placing orders for iPhone 3G through O2 business channels. Delivery timings will be communicated when an order is placed.
iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is significantly faster than the first generation iPhone. The device has built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, iPhone 2.0 software (which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync) and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK. These can be accessed via iTunes.
The 8GB iPhone 3G will be available for free to customers opting for the £45 or £75 tariffs and £99 on the £30 and £35 per month tariffs. The 16GB model will cost £159 on the £30 and £35 tariffs, £59 on the £45 tariff and it will be free on the £75 tariff. All customers will continue to receive unlimited UK data browsing over O2’s mobile network and unlimited access to over 9,000 Wi-Fi hotspots through both The Cloud and BT Openzone***.
Existing iPhone customers can upgrade early to the iPhone 3G through O2 channels by re-signing a new 18 month contract, taking advantage of the same great offer as new customers. They will then be able to give their existing 2G iPhone to a friend, family member or colleague who can transfer onto an iPhone tariff if they are an existing O2 Pay Monthly or business customer, stick in their existing O2 SIM and buy the appropriate Bolt Ons for unlimited data, or buy an iPhone Pay & Go SIM card from 11 July offering unlimited data and unlimited Wi-Fi access to The Cloud and BT Openzone hotspots for £10 per month. Full information is available on o2.co.uk/iPhone.
The iPhone 3G will launch on O2 Pay and Go (Prepay) in time for the Christmas shopping period, with pricing details to be confirmed closer to launch.
*The iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8.02am in all Apple stores and at selected O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores on the high street. All remaining stores will open at standard trading times. Check with your local store or online for opening times.
**Based on 3G and EDGE testing. Actual speeds vary by site conditions.
*** Subject to O2’s excessive use policy.
When the App Store first went online a few days ago, I rushed to download all the free apps that caught my attention. Then I came across some users reporting that Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D was only available in the UK store and that it was pretty good. So I splashed out the £5.99 for it... and was it worth the money? Well, I have to say a resounding YES.
The graphics are amazing, on par if not a little punchier than the games dedicated Nintendo DS. The game play is very smooth, with good animations and special effects. There is a little bit of slow redraw in the distance, but it is not distracting. The controls are superb too. You tilt forwards to speed up, backwards to slow down and left/right to steer. Skids are performed by touching the screen whilsts turning and power-ups are planted onto your opponents by tapping the appropriate icon. On the sound front it is amazing, very cool music and in-game sound. It also shows that the iPhone 3G has greatly improved speakers, having played this on both the new unit and the first generation.
