Apple Chooses O2 as Exclusive Carrier for iPhone in UK

Apple and
O2 announced that O2, the wireless carrier in the
UK,
will be the exclusive
UK
carrier for Apple’s revolutionary iPhone when it makes its debut in the

UK on November
9. iPhone combines three devices into one-a mobile phone, a
widescreen iPod, and the best mobile Internet
device ever-all based on
Apple’s
revolutionary multi-touch interface and pioneering software that
allows users to control iPhone with just a
tap, flick or pinch of their
fingers.
Apple sold its one millionth iPhone just 74 days after it went on sale in the

US on June 29.

“We’re
thrilled to be partnering with O2 to offer our revolutionary iPhone to

UK
customers,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. ”
US
iPhone customer satisfaction is off the charts, and we can’t wait to let

UK customers get
their hands on it and learn what they think of it.”

“Our
strategy at O2 is to bring our customers the best products and experiences,”
said Matthew Key, CEO, O2 UK.
“The
iPhone is a breakthrough that is changing the way people use their mobiles
forever, and we’re thrilled to have it exclusively for O2 customers in the

UK.”

iPhone
users in the

UK
will be able to activate their new iPhones using

Apple’s
popular iTunes software running on a PC or Mac computer in the comfort and
privacy of their own home or office, without having to wait in a store while
their phone is activated.
Activating
iPhone takes only minutes as iTunes guides the user through simple steps to
choose their tariff, undertake a credit check and activate their iPhone. Once
iPhone is activated, users can then easily sync all of their phone numbers and
other contact information, calendars, email accounts, web browser bookmarks,
music, photos, podcasts and TV shows just like they do when they sync their
iPods with iTunes.

In
addition to the entire revolutionary features that made iPhone so popular in
the
US, iPhone users in the

UK will have
access to Apple’s latest music offerings on iPhone including the recently
launched iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store.

The iTunes
Wi-Fi Music Store offers customers the ability to browse, search, preview,
purchase and download songs and albums from iTunes over the built-in Wi-Fi on
their iPhone. No computer is required and when the customer connects their
iPhone back with their PC or Mac, their music automatically syncs back into
their iTunes library.

Pricing
& Availability

iPhone is
scheduled to go on sale on November 9 and will be sold exclusively in the

UK through
Apple’s retail and online stores, O2 and The
Carphone Warehouse’s retail and online stores.
iPhone will be available in an
8GB model
for 269 pounds sterling (inc VAT) and will work with either a PC or
Mac. Three new great value iPhone tariffs will
be available from O2 starting
at 35
pounds, which all include unlimited anytime, anywhere mobile data usage
and, in a market first, free unlimited use of
the UK’s largest single public
Wi-Fi
network, covering over 7,500 cafes, restaurants, airport lounges, pubs
and other locations across the UK.

iPhone
activation will require an Internet connection; an iTunes Store account or a
major credit card; the latest version of iTunes available at www.itunes.com and
a PC or Mac with a USB 2.0 port and one of the following
operating systems: Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later;
Windows XP Home or Professional
with
Service Pack 2 or later; or Windows Vista Home Premium, Business,

Enterprise
or Ultimate Edition. iPhone
requires a new 18-month contract with
O2.
Existing O2 customers will have the option of keeping their existing phone
number and upgrading their account to work with iPhone while new customers can
also simply and easily transfer their current mobile number to O2.