Steve Jobs just announced the UK iPhone at the London Apple Store. As we already knew, O2 will be providing the network. What we didn't know was the price or the release date. As of November 9th (a Friday), the Brits will be able to pick up the 8GB iPhone for $270 ($540). Call plans will be £35, £45 and £55 , all with unlimited data. Minimum contract: 18 months.
And about that data. The long suspected 3G iPhone is still just a phantasm. The UK is getting the same iPhone as everybody else. Data will be provided over EDGE and GPRS. Odd, as the situation in the UK is somewhat reversed: 3G is pretty much available everywhere, and according to Wil Harris, speaking on this week's This Week in Tech, 02 has been busy beefing up its EDGE coverage (right now it stands at 30%).
On the plus side, Cloud, the WiFi and mesh network provider, has 7,000 WiFi hotspots available throughout the land, and iPhone users can pick up the network free.
02 has also put in the back end jiggery pokery to support visual voicemail, and the wireless iTunes Store will be online in the UK this month.
Engadget has their man Thomas Ricker on the ground in London, and he is live blogging from the show.
Live from Apple's "Mum is no longer the word" event in London [Engadget]
Product page [Apple]
.png){kind=logo}
