iPhone launches in the UK on November 9: $536 and no 3G

Apple announced today that it will be selling the iPhone in the UK for ¬¨¬£269 including VAT. That’s $536, a far higher price than the $399 offered in the US. It won’t have 3G and it’s being sold exclusively through O2. Apple announced today that it will be selling the iPhone in the UK for ¬¨¬£269 including VAT. That’s $536, a far higher price than the $399 offered in the US. It won’t have 3G and it’s being sold locked. You have to get an O2 subscription unless you apply one of the many iPhone hacks to unlock it. You can buy the phone from any of the O2 shops or from Carphone Warehouse.

Apple also has a deal with The Cloud, a UK Wi-Fi network operator. iPhone users can access The Cloud’s network for free (note: they have a similar deal for Nokia N800 users).

Steve Jobs explained that the iPhone does not have 3G functionality because 3G chips drain battery life. However, European operators have moved to 3G already and users are not eager to dummy back down to EDGE. I don’t know how successful the iPhone will be sold (a) without 3G and (b) locked. It’s like selling a computer that works only on dial-up, to someone who lives in a place that has broadband. O2′s network is 70% 3G already. Says Techcrunch:

“O2 has been building out its EDGE network to support this launch, which is actually a downgrade of its current European 3G offerings. The move to give away free WiFi is probably an attempt to offset the poor 2.5G data coverage in Europe in general. Jobs said that 3G was not embedded into the phone due to battery concerns, which means the next iPhone will probably come attached to a car battery and it’s own handtruck.”

Meanwhile rumors are circulating that Apple will include 3G in the iPhone by the second quarter of 2008. I am definitely NOT getting the iPhone this November.