Skip to Content

Britons snap up 'tens of thousands' of iPhones


Over the last few days, there's been plenty of reports about the scale of the iPhone's launch here in the U.K, and what a 'flop' it was. Not so fast, dear readers, for Ars Technica is reporting that on Friday night carrier O2 activated 8,000 handsets: more than double their initial estimate of 3,000, despite issues with activations on the network's side (where have we heard that before?). Problems aside, the iPhone is apparently O2's fastest selling handset with 'tens of thousands' sold. Whilst not as high as the 70,000+ some had been murmuring, that's a remarkable achievement given the widespread poor reporting of the launch by the mainstream media.

Whilst in the queue on Friday, people were being asked what they thought about the iPhone 'lacking a camera', with at least one news crew leaving the Regent Street store with a significant portion of laughter at that question. Of course, with Apple having kept the U.K. iPhone under such tight lock, few had actually seen one 'in the flesh', but not seeing it in the flesh seemingly didn't stop people deriding the device out of hand.

Gripes aside, it seems to have been a moderately successful launch, if not setting the world on fire. Thankfully, if you weren't to be found queuing for an iPhone on Friday, there's a plethora of photographs from the launch here in the U.K. Thanks to all those who left comments on our (repeatedly, and abruptly, interrupted) Live-Blog. If you're wondering where the queues were, you might want to check photos from London #1 #2, Manchester, Birmingham and across the country.

Categories

Other Events iPhone

Over the last few days, there's been plenty of reports about the scale of the iPhone's launch here in the U.K, and what a 'flop' it was....
 

Add a Comment

*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

15 Comments

Filter by:
Rick

I walked into my local 02 store to see an iPhone in the flesh

- I wouldn't be surprised that they didn't sell too many as the staff dont know anything about the iPhone at all.

I wanted to know what the internet experience was like on the edge network but all I got was a blank stare and a vague mumble about the cloud network, so I had to show him how to deactivate the wifi

- then I said it would be good to get some native voip software on there... The guy proceeded to tell me that all I needed to do was download skype on my iphone and I could talk for free.... I had to tell him that you can't do that and he was supposed to be demoing the phone to me, not me to him!!

Useless....

Rick

November 14 2007 at 6:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GJD

As a UK phone user, I can say that a data package appeals greatly to me. Apple is leading the way with the data package concept, it's just a shame that they're offering it on a fast-as-dial-up 2.5G network which barely covers 30% of the country, and asking us to pay twice for the privilege.

I suspect the big touch screen and the WiFi are as much to blame as 3G would be for any battery life issues.

Anyone in the UK buying iPhone v1.0 at today's prices forfeits their right to be pissed off when Apple introduces v2.0 at a more realistic price in Q1 2008.

November 14 2007 at 5:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ad

'Activated' not 'sold'.

I don't know anyone (me included) who managed to activate on Friday night due to problems with the Carphonewarehouse chip-and-pin system, problems with the O2 credit system and problems connecting to the iTunes store.

I finally got activated at 11pm Saturday.

November 13 2007 at 5:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bryan

I think the iPhone is a reasonable price. Its the same price as the iPod touch but for 35 quid a month I get a phone, email, widgets, sms, unlimited internet access, google maps, free talk time and 200 free sms messages.

I think Apple have priced it very well.....i dont have one though because my phone is handled through my work.




November 13 2007 at 2:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fraser Drew

Nik, I can see exactly where you are coming from... battery life COULD be an issue, but to be fairly honest my SE W900i had a couple of days of battery life, and i know someone who has a W880i (the REALLY slim 3G one) does too. I think a bit of creative software controlling the 3G radio could have made it useable? But I'm no expert so hey!
O well, hopefully sooner than later!

November 13 2007 at 12:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nik Fletcher

Fraser I disagree. 3G handsets are still just to power hungry to really work. I'm more than happy to trade 3G EDGE if it means I get more life from my iPhone.

N

November 13 2007 at 12:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dom

I'm pretty much Apple's target demographic, but the UK iPhone launch struck me as an unmitigated failure. I have 3 Macs and 2 iPods, but I would never consider the iPhone as a serious phone.

"Tens of thousands" sounds like marketing speak for "10,000" iPhones sold.. and the only people queuing for one appeared to be journalists.

November 13 2007 at 12:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fraser Drew

I probably am in Apples target demographic. I have a contract all ready, I'm a mac user, but mostly, i don't just phone on my phone.
The UK iPhone NEEDED to be 3G. This country (nearly) skipped EDGE altogether. The coverage is truly horrific; Reading, which is a fairly large place, has no O2 EDGE at all, even in the O2/CPW shop. The BBC Homepage took nearly 2 full minutes to load, in the shop! It's put me off one until it goes 3G. The iPhone IS all about having the internet in your pocket. That is one of the key things that sets it apart.
End rant.

November 13 2007 at 12:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
e

A few other crowd pics over here:
http://www.macbidouille.com/news/2007-11-09/#15287

November 13 2007 at 11:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joey

Actually I think I agree with the observations here: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/11/11/no_real_queues_for_iphones_at_least_in_london_corrected.html
And here: http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/blog/?p=750

Queues at 3-4 Apple stores (in the whole of the UK) doesn't mean that the same was repeated across all O2 and Carphone Warehouse stores. In fact, I think the iPhone's launch in the US received more press coverage here than the UK launch.

November 13 2007 at 11:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Hot Apps on TUAW

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.