….well, not really, the functionality of the iPhone on Orange wont change at all, I just happened to see this image online and thought…yuk!

To recap on the real story here, Orange UK and Apple have reached an agreement to bring iPhone 3G and 3GS to Orange UK customers later this year. Orange globally now offers iPhone in 28 countries and territories.

Orange, which has the largest 3G network covering more people in the UK than any other operator, will sell iPhone in all Orange direct channels including Orange shops, the Orange webshop and Orange telesales channels, as well as selected high street partners

Consumers are celebrating a new diversity in choice of iPhone suppliers and rumours are abound that Orange may have stocks withing 3 weeks.

That surprises me given the current lack of 3GS stock generally and things will get even harder when Vodafone get into the mix in due course.

The question is, who will provide the best iPhone Contract?

Orange has reached an agreement to sell Apple’s popular iPhone in the UK.

The deal ends an exclusive arrangement between UK network operator O2 and the Californian phone maker, which has been in place since 2007.

Orange said its customers would be able to buy the phone “later this year” but did not specify a date or pricing.

However, analysts said that in markets where there was already competition there was little difference in handset prices but small variations in tariffs.

“There’s not a lot they can do – they are subsidising the hardware, so they can’t afford to do much on the tariff,” said Carolina Milanesi of Gartner.

“You may see a £30 per month tariff versus £35, but I would not expect anything more.”

Data jam

Orange recently revealed plans to merge its UK network with Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile to create a business with 28.4 million customers.

If given the go-ahead, it would be the UK’s largest provider, overtaking Telefonica’s O2, with about 37% of the mobile market.

“That would be good for Apple,” Dave McQueen, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms and Media told BBC News.

“Then, around three quarters of the UK market will then have access to the iPhone.”

O2 has offered the handset in the UK since its launch in 2007. In February, it said it had sold more than one million of the handsets.

The launch of the latest iPhone 3GS in June significantly boosted sales, with many stores running out of stock.

The phone has also allowed the firm to win subscribers from other networks, according to analysts.

However, the rise of smartphones – which have the ability to surf the web and send e-mail – has put a burden on the O2 network, according to Mr McQueen.

“IPhone users to tend to use data quite extensively – perhaps more than anticipated,” he said.

“Orange has always a good data network and if the T-mobile deal goes through it would allow them to share the burden.”

O2 will continue to sell the handset in Britain, alongside iPhone rival the Palm Pre.

The Palm phone, described by some as an “iPhone killer”, will be available exclusively to O2 from 16 October.

O2 said that it always knew that its exclusive deal was for “a limited period of time”.

The new agreement with Orange brings the UK into line with many other countries around the world which have multiple operators that offer the iPhone.

In countries where exclusive deals still persist, such as the US, some customers choose to “unlock” their phones using third party software so they work on an unlicensed network.

However, Apple has warned that the practice can cause “irreparable” damage to a handset and has engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse, releasing periodic software updates which prevent unlocked phones from working correctly.

Source:  BBC.co.uk

The draw has been made and the winner of our free iPhone 3GS is…..

Neil Pearson from Maidstone in Kent, congratulations!

I’ll hopefully have some proof pictures to post soon.

A huge thanks to everyone who entered.

Steve

It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon and it is only fair to share the joy, so here is my list of the three best ways to get yourself an iPhone 3GS!

1.  The first and obviously the best method, get a totally free iPhone 3GS !

2.  Find the best iPhone contract on the market today.

3.  Bid for an iPhone 3GS one at ridiculously low prices.  Just follow the Swoopo link.

Enjoy

O2 could soon lose its exclusive deal to distribute Apple’s iPhone contract, it has emerged.

Theregister.co.uk, a technology website, reports that T-Mobile UK, the German-owned operator that is the fourth-biggest player in the British mobile market, is in talks with Apple about a distribution agreement for the free iPhone 3GS.

This would end the exclusivity that O2 has enjoyed since the iPhone was launched in Britain in 2007.

Theregister.co.uk said that the talks concerned only distribution of the iPhone 3G and that, regardless of the outcome of Apple’s talks with T-Mobile UK, O2 would retain exclusivity for the iPhone 3GS — the newer, faster model launched by Apple last month. It said that it was also possible that Orange could strike a distribution deal with Apple.

There has been speculation for months that Apple wanted to end its exclusive distribution deals for the iPhone, a move that would also hit AT&T, the handset’s distributor in the United States. Most industry analysts believe that consumer loyalty is primarily to Apple, rather than to network operators such as O2 and AT&T.

Rival operators to the incumbents in France and Germany already offer the iPhone.

The news comes two weeks after it was revealed that Vodafone and O2 have both expressed interest in buying T-Mobile UK.

Ronan Dunne, UK chief executive of O2, said yesterday that Telefónica, O2’s Spanish parent company, was watching developments with interest. He said: “We haven’t explicitly said whether we are participating in anything. To my knowledge, there isn’t a formal [sale] process go-ing on.”

Article Source: Times Online

O2’s pricing policy for the iPhone 3G S has been causing quite a scandal since the details were unveiled, but there’s a glimmer of hope in sight for iPhone 3G owners hoping to bust out of their contract early without expense. How you ask? Better read on and find out!

You’ll be able to switch out of your iPhone 3G contract with as many as six months left on your contract via O2’s priority lists. Any iPhone 3G owners on the Platinum Priority List will be able to make the jump to the iPhone 3G S with half a year left on their contract, while anyone on the Gold Priority List can with three months left. Silver List O2 members meanwhile can punch out one month early.

Yes, we’re aware of the irony that in order to save money on upgrading to the iPhone 3G S ASAP, you’re going to have to spend more on your bill, but it’s good news for anyone already paying through the nose for the iPhone 3G. Bounce on over to your My O2 account to find out where you stand in the queue, and see you on 19 June!

Source:  Mirror.co.uk