Countdown begins for the iPhone's arrival in Britain

Countdown begins for the iPhone's arrival in Britain
[07-11-2007]

Considering Apple sold one million iPhone units in the US within 74 days of its release, it is little wonder that the imminent arrival of the latest must-have product has sparked a consumer frenzy this side of the Atlantic as well.

The phone, which will be launched in Britain on Friday, is expected to sell rapidly with sales of the "breakthrough" handsets predicted to reach 400,000 over Christmas.

The much-anticipated iPhone, a cornucopia of the latest multimedia technology squashed into a palm-sized box that contains, among other things, a mobile phone, mp3 player, camera and wireless internet browser, will be available in shops under an exclusive deal with Britain's largest mobile operator, O2. Never ones to shy from even the smallest of publicity stunts, Apple and O2 confirmed that the handsets would be available in Britain from exactly 6.02pm on Friday.

Queues are expected to form early as Carphone Warehouse, the only non-Apple or O2-branded store allowed to sell the device, pledged to keep all 783 of its UK stores open during the night until the last customers leave.

The touchscreen handset will be one of the most expensive on the market at £269 but users will in fact have to shell out a minimum of £899 during the first year and a half of ownership because the phones can be bought only with an 18-month O2 contract, with the minimum monthly tariff starting at £35.
Source: [Independent]

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