Interesting school of thought. It would be nice to see it subsidised here. I don't mind a contract. I've always been on a contract. But admit that I rarely use "data"-centric contracts. Mine has always been cheap ($29 for $75 worth of calls/text a month). And this has been sufficient for me. If I wanted to use the internet etc, I would let it hook up to my WI-FI. So I am thinking of keeping this type of plan (I've finished my plan), and have no plans on upgrading. But will probably buy the iPhone outright at a premium price (I tend to change my phones till I find one that I like and stick with it). So it won't be cheap for me!

MacRumors are reporting the 8Gb iPhone at End Of Life in the UK.
8GB iPhone End-of-Life'd in UK? - Mac Rumors

Engadget are reporting the same, and also the 8Gb iPod Touch.
8GB iPhone and iPod touch reach end-of-life, at least in the UK - Engadget

From a PR point of view, it would be very stupid of Apple to open the first official stores here and not stock the iPhone.

It is almost written on the wall;

-3G iPhone announcement at WWDC, perhaps even before. There is almost no doubt of this
-Last week of June, Sydney store opens (which is consistent with rumours and current construction rates)
-Either at the same time or in a few weeks after the opening, the iPhone launches here as well.

Keep in mind that it will probably be about 6 weeks after the announcement that we see the iPhone in stores as per the FCC approval theory. That leads me to believe we might even hear about a 3G iPhone before WWDC as a late June launch (perhaps on the anniversary) makes sense from the point of view that 2.0 firmware is expected at the same time...

haven't had time to read the entire thread, but what is the price likely to be when it is released here?

More than you were hoping for is the current accurate estimate.

More speculation, but engadget are usually pretty spot on with things

The second-gen iPhone: 3G, GPS, only slightly thicker - Engadget

How good - i'll be loving it if there is a built in GPS

I know its only speculation, but I highly doubt that it will have GPS, Apple products usually shine in the fact that they dont have multiple features crammed into one complicated device.

I just dont see the iPhone being a phone, a camera, a iPod & a GPS unit.

Apple usually leaves that kind of gimmick stuff to the wanna be devices

what, like an apple computer? it makes web pages, movies, dvd menus, music, plays music, checks email, surfs the web + more!

LOL, what do you call that wanna be GPS then?

Obviously apple would include GPS. it makes sense considering they half put it into the original iphone.

I wouldnt be surpriesed if it did have a gps but at the same time it wouldnt phase me if it didnt. That 2 second rough triangulation is better than the three minute wait for the satalite to get into posiion with the half hour battery life.

I tend to disagree. I rely on Sat Nav regularly for travel around australia and I can tell you the battery life doesn't make a difference, simply because you can attach a car charger whenever you use Sat Nav, after all, most cars these days give you a power source and the GPS has nothing to do with the battery life, its the fact that the screen is permanently on that kills your battery life.

I can also say that the convenience of a built in GPS cannot be discounted. I used to use a windows phone with an external GPS unit, when that happens, you rely on potential for failure, bluetooth connections that can fail on occasion, battery life for a second unit (so if your phone and gps both have low battery, which do you charge?) etc.

You could easily argue that these days its easy enough to have a phone and keep your GPS separate, but if the technology is there to have a phone with both, why not do it? Why rely on having to upgrade a completely separate $400 unit just because your phone doesn't have it?

Agree completely. I dont use a GPS every day, I live in Newcastle and know my way around. But when heading to Sydney once every month or so its great to have one. Would be a nice bonus included, but wouldnt sway my decision either way.

If its true, I will be severely disappointed. I like the new look (shiny black, although it will be a nightmare to keep clean!)...but a thicker unit just for 3G/GPS? No thanx. I won't be needing that. I think I will have to stick with the 16GB model...IF they will still stock them. The only thing stopping be from buying it is it's thickness. Superficial I know, but I prefer not to have a rectangular bulge in my skinny leg jeans.

Well I got a 16 GB iPhone a few days ago and I'm really happy with it. I'm guessing that the iPhone will launch here when the two Apple stores open in Sydney and Melbourne.

Also, I'm not really a fan on the gloss black on the supposed iPhone 2.0..

May be interested to note that Vodafone Australia is about to release new data/call plans - When I asked management if these plans were related to any particular device, I was told that 'It is entirely possible'. They will be similar to the Telstra Bigpond plans that you can have on your mobile, just considerably better value! Price points have been chosen, however I wasn't able to get any further information out of them.

Bring it, mofo. Bring it.