World of Apple

Speaking after the announcement of O2’s first-quarter financial results, chief executive of Telefónica Europe Matthew Key said that he will be making an announcement with Apple in “the coming weeks”.

When asked about the whereabouts of the 3G phone he said: “That’s more of a question for Apple … but over the coming weeks we will do a joint announcement with Apple as Telefónica Group”.

The 3G iPhone is widely expected to be released at the WWDC keynote on June 9th.

Both the US and UK online Apple Stores are showing the 8GB and 16GB iPhone as “Currently Unavailable.”

The French and German Apple Stores continue to show stock of both models of iPhone.

It should be noted that during the last financial results announcement Apple did state that shortages may happen in the near future but blamed increased demand rather than depleting stock.

Most of this week O2 in the UK has had intermittent availability of the 16GB iPhone.

Both O2 and Carphone Warehouse are showing no stock of either model of iPhone this morning.

The news comes less than a month after O2 discontinued the 8GB model of the iPhone opting to only sell the 16GB.

The Apple UK online store continues to sell both the 8GB and 16GB iPhone with shipping times quoted as 24 hours.

[Update] The 16GB iPhone is now back in stock on the O2 online store and O2 has reported that retail stores have reasonable stock.

Both Carphone Warehouse and O2 in the UK are reporting that the 8GB iPhone is “out of stock” and “no longer available” respectively.

World of Apple also recieved the following email from the Carphone Warehouse:

Thanks to the most phenomenal response to the promotion, The Carphone Warehouse is now out of stock on the Apple iPhone.

We apologise for the short notice but would like to thank everyone who participated in the campaign. Carphone do not expect to receive any additional stock at this time.

The strange occurrence comes just two weeks after O2 and Carphone Warehouse slashed the price of the iPhone to £169 causing a reported spike in sales.

Mobile Today is reporting that O2 is set to mirror T-Mobile Germany and begin offering significant discounts on iPhone units in the UK.

According to the site O2 will discount the 8GB iPhone by £100, from £269 to £169. The offer will reportedly run from April 16th to June 1st.

The 16GB iPhone will remain at £329.

Apple’s partner in the UK has today announced a record financial quarter and is thanking the iPhone for its success.

O2, the UK division of Spanish firm Telefonica reported that sales were up 9.5% in the last quarter of 2007.

Although the company didn’t disclose exact iPhone sales figures it did note that the device “helped” bring in 484,000 customers and 276,000 contracts.

According to O2 the iPhone has the highest satisfaction rating and lowest return rate out of any of its phones and iPhone users generated around 30% more revenue per use than the average O2 customer.

O2 also announced today that it will be the official carrier in Ireland and the device will go on sale on March 14.

O2 Ireland and today confirmed that it will be the official carrier of the Apple iPhone in Ireland.

The iPhone will go on sale in Ireland on March 14 and will be available through O2 retail stores, and Carphone Warehouse stores.

iPhone will be available in an 8GB model for €399 (inc VAT) and a 16GB model for €499 (inc VAT).

Danuta Gray, O2 Ireland CEO, said, “The iPhone is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we’re thrilled to offer it to O2 customers in Ireland. Our strategy in Ireland continues to be to bring our customers the very best innovations and experiences in mobile communications.”

The following tariffs are avilabke for the iPhone:

• €45/mo: 175 minutes, 100 texts, 1GB data
• €65/mo: 350 minutes, 150 texts, 1GB data
• €100/mo: 700 minutes, 250 texts, 1GB data

In what appears to be a surprise announcement, O2 will be moving all current iPhone users to new tariffs, offering more texts and minutes for the same price.

The move is part of an overall improvement in the network’s offering for all its mobile phone customers. The company is introducing six new and simpler tariffs and introducing free voicemail for its new and existing customers from 1 February.

iPhone users currently paying £35 a month will enjoy up to 600 minutes and 500 text messages (was 200 minutes, 200 texts).

Those on £45 a month will receive 1200 minutes and 500 texts, and finally those currently paying £55/month will be moved to the lower £45 or offered a chance to join a £75/month tariff receiving 3,000 minutes of calling and 500 texts.

O2 CEO, Matthew Key was reportedly in California last week briefing Apple CEO, Steve Jobs on the iPhones impact on the UK market, reports Andrew Parker for The Financial Times.

“Mr Key says 200,000 iPhones should have be sold in Britain by early January – in line with his expectations since its November 9 launch, although some analysts claim his target is conservative. Gartner, the research firm, says sales of up to 400,000 should be possible,” Parker reports.

The FT.com reporter wrote that “A 3G version of the iPhone will be launched by Apple next year; Mr Key is confident that O 2 will also have an exclusive deal for the mark two device.”

“O2 has signed a multi-year deal with Apple for the iPhone, and Mr Key insists Vodafone, for example, could not muscle in and take the 3G iPhone in the UK.”

“About 60 per cent of iPhone customers are sending or receiving more than 25 megabytes of data per month, which is the equivalent of sending 7,500 e-mails. By comparison, only 1.8 per cent of O2 ’s other mobile customers on monthly contracts are consuming more than 25MB per month,” Parker reports. “The O2 research suggests that, after years of dashed hopes for the operators, customers are on the verge of surfing the web on their mobiles in significant numbers.”

Talking to the The Times Online today, Peter Erskine, chief executive of Telefonica’s 02 Europe said that the iPhone “has been the fastest-selling device we have ever seen.”

“The phone had sold ‘in the tens of thousands’ since its launch on Friday,” he said in an interview with the paper.

When speaking to Thomson Financial Erskine declined to reveal how many iPhones it has sold, as the exclusive mobile network for the handset.

“He said early sales had been in line with its original expectations and customers had found the new handsets easy to use,” Thomson Financial reports.