Mobile Choice Blog

O2 says three quarters of iPhone buyers are new customers

Ever since O2 signed an exclusive deal to sell the iPhone in the UK, the web has buzzed with speculation that it's giving up a hefty chunk of the revenues from users to maker Apple. Why would an operator sign up to such a scheme?

Well, it seems nabbing customers from other operators is the key. According to new O2 boss Matthew Key, three quarters of iPhone buyers will be new to O2, tempted to switch networks by the iPhone's slinky charms.

However, what O2 isn't saying is how many iPhones it's sold so far, other than that sales are "in line with expectations". Cynics will say that's code for 'if they were selling like hot cakes, we'd be saying they're beating expectations...' though.

(via Reuters)

3G iPhone rumoured... for Spain and Italy

The web is full of rumours this week about Apple releasing a 3G iPhone, which won't please the tens of thousands of people who snapped up the 2.5G version when it went on sale with O2 this month in the UK. However, don't worry just yet, since the rumours are sketchy, and focus on Spain and Italy, rather than the UK.

So, one rumour says the 3G iPhone will go on sale in Spain next May, while the other says Vodafone will have it in Italy, but only after Christmas. Some form of the iPhone will surely go on sale in both countries soon, since they haven't got Apple's handset yet.

However, launching a 3G model there so soon would be a controversial move by Apple, which would enrage early adopters here in the UK. It seems fairly sure that a 3G iPhone will launch next year, but it remains unclear whether O2 will let people upgrade before the end of their 18-month contracts.

Want to know if iPhone's any good? Ask a teenager...

That's what SMS Text News has been doing this week, corralling a horde of youngsters to give their views on the iPhone. It's a pretty wide range of opinions too, with several loving it, but others pointing out some of the obvious flaws, like the camera quality, the 18-month O2 contract, and the expense. Here's a couple of samples:

"It's like a flashier and more expensive version of the N95. It's just a show-off phone not a good long-term phone."

"I think it sounds like a great phone but it's just too pricey for young people. Lower the price about £100 and I'd buy it."

Interesting reading, and you can see what the others said via the link below. We wonder if Apple will drop the price to make iPhone more affordable for younger users - or maybe they could launch a cheaper iPhone Nano with most of the features but at a cheaper price.

(via SMS Text News)

Germans have their hands on the iPhone, but us Brits have to wait

The iPhone went on sale in Germany this morning, resulting in thousands of happy purchasers waving their handsets in glee. Meanwhile, us Brits have to wait until 6.02pm tonight, just because... well, actually, we're at a loss to explain why we have to wait until the evening.

After all, it could have been 6.02am and there'd still have been people queuing around the block. Meanwhile, Engadget Mobile - the source of that Happy Germans photo - also reports that the latest edition of the iPhone's firmware has already been hacked, which in theory means people buying the iPhone today might be able to get it to work with non-O2 SIM cards.

We hasten to add, you shouldn't be trying to 'jailbreak' your iPhone unless you know what you're doing, as messing it up can leave your iPhone as a useless hunk of junk. But we're sure that won't stop plenty of Brits from trying as soon as they get home tonight...

(via Engadget Mobile)

UK iPhone going on sale at 6.02pm this Friday

It's iPhone launch week here in the UK, with O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores around the country gearing up for a rush of customrs on Friday. With that in mind, Apple and O2 have just announced final details of the handset's launch, including the news that it will go on sale at 6.02pm this Friday (O2, geddit?) at more than 1,300 stores around the UK.

O2 says it has hired and trained hundreds of iPhone specialists who'll be in-store showing people how to use the device, while Apple will be holding seminars in its own Apple Stores around the country. As we've reported before, the phone itself will cost you £269 on the day, and you'll have to sign up to an 18-month contract for at least £35 a month.

However, the good news is that O2 has binned its 'fair usage' cap, so unlimited data really will be unlimited. Well, as long as you're not using it as a data modem for your laptop, that is.

When is an unlimited iPhone data contract not, er, unlimited?

Getting excited about the imminent iPhone launch yet? There's one issue to watch out for though. Engadget Mobile has been digging into the unlimited data tariffs being offered in Europe by O2 (UK), T-Mobile (Germany) and Orange (France), and it seems they're not that unlimited.

In the UK, O2 has an unofficial fair-usage policy that could involve you being charged extra if you access more than 200MB of data in a month. In Germany, if you exceed your limit, it's reported that T-Mobile will cut the speed at which you browse!

We wonder how many iPhone users will keep close tabs on how much data they've used in a month though: there could be some nasty surprises in store for particularly heavy users, even though the operators say their limits have been set to ensure the vast majority of iPhone owners don't have a problem.

(via Engadget Mobile)

Top 5 reasons NOT to buy a UK iPhone

Last week, we covered the top five reasons you might want to shell out £269 for an iPhone when they go on sale here on 9th November. Now it's time for the flipside, where we explain why you might want to keep your wallet firmly in your pocket. While there's a lot of justified excitement around Apple's first mobile, it's not immune to criticism. So...

1. It's not 3G. Steve Jobs claims that 3G saps battery life too much, that EDGE is fast enough for web surfing on the go, and that Wi-Fi is much faster anyway. In order: it doesn't, it isn't, and it's true, but you have to be within range of a hot-spot. The lack of 3G is a big problem for would-be iPhone buyers, not least because Apple has already said it'll be releasing a 3G model next year. £269 and an 18-month contract for a phone that may be superceded within a year? Thanks for that.

Hidden iPhone feature: it's got Sauna compatibility!

Anyone in Finland who owns an iPhone will know this already, but just in case you were wondering: yes, Apple's handset does still work if you take it into the sauna with you.

SMS Text News blogger Ewan MacLeod has proved it, although he did wrap the handset in a towel to keep it away from the direct heat. Sadly, he didn't then whip it with birch twigs and dip it through a hole in a nearby icy lake...

(via SMS Text News)

Navizon launches virtual GPS for iPhone using Wi-Fi positioning

The iPhone doesn't have a GPS chip inside for proper satellite navigation, but rumour has it Apple may include the feature in its next-generation iPhone, which is due out next year. However, a new 'virtual GPS' iPhone application from Navizon may prove whether such a feature is much desired by users of Apple's handset.

The application works by calculating your position using cellular signals and Wi-Fi access points, which apparently lets it get your position down to a few hundred feet. That's not good enough for turn-by-turn driving navigation, but fine for pinpointing your local area and serving up maps.

The app has launched in the US, and has a free trial period of two weeks, after which users have to pay $25. If Apple is considering introducing full GPS, they'd be wise to keep an eye on the popularity of Navizon's application.

(via NaviGadget)

Top 5 reasons to buy a UK iPhone

The iPhone goes on sale in the UK on 9th November, so should you be digging your wallet out to hand over £269 to Apple and O2? There are plenty of pros and cons to Apple's handset, so we thought we should round them up. Today, it's the five reasons to splash your cash on an iPhone, but don't worry cynics: we'll get to the reasons to hold back tomorrow.

1. The user interface is streets ahead of the competition. There are other touchscreen phones, but their UIs simply don't compare with Apple's super-usable iPhone interface. Navigating between applications, through your songs, and surging websites is seamless.