APPLE'S iPHONE 3G will retail in Ireland for prices between €49 and €229, depending on the model purchased and the tariff customers sign up to.
O2 Ireland yesterday confirmed pricing for the coveted phone, media player and internet access device which will go on sale on July 11th. The 8 gigabyte model will cost €49 with a €100 monthly plan, €99 with a €65 monthly tariff and €169 with a €45 monthly commitment.
The 16 gigabyte model will cost €129 on the most expensive tariff and €229 on the lowest. Customers will be required to sign up to an 18-month contract with O2 to get the new phone. Each tariff comes with a set amount of monthly talk time and text messages. Additional calls will cost 20 cent a minute while texts will cost 10 cent.
Customers can download 1 gigabyte of data a month with additional downloads charged at two cent a minute. Higher charges will apply when roaming. O2 has also struck a deal with Bitbuzz, whereby iPhone users will have free access to the 155 Wi-Fi hotspots it operates in Ireland.
By introducing the iPhone 3G just four months after the original product was launched in Ireland, Apple and O2 risk upsetting some of their most loyal customers.
When launched in mid-March, the original 8 gigabyte model retailed for €399 and the 16 gigabyte model for €499.
O2 said these customers would be able "to take advantage of the same great deal as new customers". Existing customers will be required to purchase the new phone and commit to a new 18-month contract.
In addition to running on faster 3G networks, the new iPhone is thinner than its predecessor, has improved battery life and enhanced navigation capability with inclusion of a GPS chip.
