• Apple's iPhone, the latest models of which are the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, combines the functionality of an Internet-enabled cell phone with that of an iPod media player and a handheld computer.


    First launched in June 2007 the iPhone has become an iconic product, seen by many as a breakthrough in mobile devices.


    With the introduction of the new iPhone 3GS in June 2009, the iPhone 3G became available as an 8GB model priced at $99.


    The iPhone 3GS is available in 16GB and 32GB versions, for $199 and $299 respectively, with 2-year AT&T contracts.


    As of June 2009, 40 milliion iPhone OS devices had been sold, including all the different iPhone versions and the iPod Touch. A further 16m iPhones were sold in the second half of 2009.http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/25/technology/apple/


    Currently there are over 140,000 apps available for the iPhone, and a more than three billion app downloads have been made.http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/01/05appstore.html

  • Vodafone and Orange get iPhone

    In September 2009 both Orange and Vodafone signed contracts to sell iPhones in the United Kingdom. Orange began offering the iPhone in the run up to Christmas, but Vodafone was not able to do so until the New Year.http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article6854385.ece


    Previously Apple had an exclusive agreement with O2, similar to its arrangements with carriers in other countries. Extending iPhone availability to more carriers therefore looks like a long-term Apple strategy that is likely to be extended elsewhere, including perhaps the US, where AT&T has had exclusive rights.http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-25/apple-may-release-iphone-to-all-u-s-carriers-oppenheimer-says.html


    Vodafone sold 100,000 iPhones in the first week of availability, but Orange and supermarket chain Tesco declined to discuss their early sales figures. Despite the competition, O2 said it saw strong sales, and by the end of 2009 had 2 million iPhone customers.http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100203-719618.html?mod=WSJ_World_MIDDLEHeadlinesEurope

  • Speech to Text for iPhone?

    In August 2009, an Apple patent for speech recognition on iPhones and iPods was published.


    The iPhone 3GS already has a number of voice control features, but the patent appears to cover far more sophisticated uses, for example enabling emails to be composed using speech recognition.


    It appears that there may be a dedicated voice recognition chip built into iPhones and iPods in the future to support this functionality.http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/technology/2009/08/apple_working_on_fullblown_spe.htmlhttp://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2009/08/speech_to_text.html;jsessionid=H2O4WOVVI5VR3QE1GHRSKHWATMY32JVN

  • iPhone 3G

    On June 9, 2008, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed the iPhone 3G at the 2008 WWDC conference. This version includes 3G, GPS and improved battery life. It is thinner than its predecessor and has improved audio.


    In addition to the usual suite of communication features on a mobile phone, the iPhone 3G can access the Internet via its EDGE or 3G wireless data connection. The iPhone's multi-touch touchscreen also comes equipped with gesture recognition software that allows for navigation using intuitive hand motion.

  • First Generation iPhone

    The first generation iPhone was highly anticipated in the months leading up to its June 29, 2007 release. On launch day AT&T stores experienced long lines with some customers lining up days before.CNET News.com: iPhone supply lives to sell another day (June 29, 2007)

  • OS 3.0 Software

    On March 17, 2009, Apple gave tech journalists a preview of the iPhone OS 3.0 software and the new iPhone SDK at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California. Some of the new features of the 3.0 include: a larger keyboard in landscape, MMS support and Voice memos.Ars Technica: Apple invites media to sneak peek of iPhone 3.0... (March 12, 2009)

  • Software Circumvention

    Computer hackers found ways to unlock the iPhone, allowing it to be used on other networks. Automatic software updates by Apple were used to counteract these hacks, but analysts have estimated that 27% of iPhones in the U.S. were unlocked,Reuters: Quarter of Apple iPhones "unlocked" (January 29, 2008) either to be used domestically on competing wireless networks or to be used overseas.

  • Exclusivity

    In each country where the iPhone was officially released, Apple initially granted a single carrier an exclusive contract to use the iPhone on its network. Customers who wished to purchase an iPhone would be locked in to a contract with that carrier.


    However this arrangement has ceased in the United Kingdom, and is expected to change elsewhere in 2010-11.

  • Carriers

    1. United Kingdom: O2, Orange and Vodafone
    2. Spain: Telefonica (O2 owner)
    3. Germany: Deutsch Telekom
    4. France, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland: France Telecom's wireless division, "Orange"
    5. Switzerland: Swisscom
    6. Germany, Austria, Netherlands: T-Mobile
    7. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia: TeliaSonera
    8. Italy: Telecom Italia
    9. Italy, Portugal, Czech Republic, Greece: Vodaphone

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