3G iPhone UK: New prices, better features and more apps

By Andrew Lim on 09 June 2008, 8:52pm

It's finally been announced, you lucky people: the 3G iPhone was unveiled this evening and it's a real beauty -- but how long are you going to have to wait before you can buy one here in the UK? O2 and Carphone Warehouse have confirmed that the phone retailer will exclusively sell the 3G iPhone in the UK from 11 July.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but inside sources have told us that it will cost under £150 and even come free on certain contracts. 8GB and 16GB models will be available in black, and the 16GB model will also come in white. Both versions are significantly thinner than their predecessors and more feature-packed.

Boasting 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS, the 8GB and 16GB 3G iPhones will keep you connected almost everywhere you go. 3G won't just give you faster downloading speeds, but will also allow you to browse the Internet properly in more places, as O2's 3G coverage is much more widespread than its EDGE coverage. Apple also claims to have engineered faster performance over 3G than existing smart phones such as the Nokia N95.

Nothing was said about giving current iPhone owners a special deal regarding buying a 3G iPhone, so if you've got an old iPhone you're most likely going to have to shell out for another one. We'll keep you updated with all the UK 3G iPhone news as soon as we find out more -- we're expecting specific UK details first thing tomorrow morning. -Andrew Lim

Update: According to O2, the 8GB version of the Apple iPhone 3G will be available for £99 on a new £30 monthly tariff and the existing £35 per month tariff. Additionally, you can choose from two other tariffs -- £45 or £75 per month -- and get the 8GB version for free.

For the 16GB version, it will cost £159 on the £30 and £35 tariffs, £59 on the £45 tariff and it will be free on the £75 tariff. Also, all customers will continue to receive unlimited data -- although will be subject to O2's excessive use policy -- browsing over O2's HSDPA network and unlimited access to 9,500 Wi-Fi hotspots through both The Cloud and now BT Openzone.

Further update: Read our full Apple iPhone 3G review.