1m iPhone 3Gs sold, 10 million apps and millions of frustrated customers

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 14 July 2008 22:29

Your IT - Mobility

And after looking upon the world, thus spake Steve Jobs, declaring: “iPhone 3G had a stunning opening weekend. It took 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so the new iPhone 3G is clearly off to a great start around the world.”

Of course once iPhone 3G users were able to activate their phones, once original iPhone users were able to upgrade to version the OS 2.0, and iPod Touch users likewise, and once peace was restored into the world of iTunes, something else happened: more than 10 million applications were downloaded from the new App Store over the first three days.

With more than 800 applications now on the App Store, more 200 of them free and 90% under the US $10 mark, the App Store helped the iPhone fulfil its destiny as a handheld computer par excellence, and not just a multimedia web surfing phone.

Sayeth the Almighty Steve Jobs:“The App Store is a grand slam, with a staggering 10 million applications downloaded in just three days. Developers have created some extraordinary applications, and the App Store can wirelessly deliver them to every iPhone and iPod touch user instantly.”

And so while the unlocked iPhone 2G owners stuck on the older 1.1.4 firmware await the iPhone Dev Team to release its Pwnage tool to allow the safe upgrade to an unlockable and jailbreakable 2.0 OS, iPhone 3G customers face waiting much longer before any 3G unlock becomes possible.

But with so many more countries now endowed with the mighty 3G iPhone, the need to unlock has lessened for 3G users, although for 1.1.4 unlocked 2G users it’s as urgent as ever.

For they too wish to take in the glorious bounty of the iPhone OS 2.0 software, with its still slightly buggy nature, but more importantly its ability to access the App Store’s delights.

Now that software can officially take advantage of the iPhone’s 3.5-inch screen, its multi-touch goodness, its hardware accelerated 3G graphics, its accelerometer and more, the appeal of jailbroken apps is still strong, but mollified somewhat by the fact the App Store awaits.

Continued on page 3.