Why has everyone fallen for Apple's marketing machine? Through the process of a slick ad campaign alone, Apple believes they can penetrate an already saturated market with a distinctly average product, sure to covered in finger grease in a matter of hours. They offer their users no choice whatsoever in terms of which mobile operator they use, or which applications they can run on the iPhone (without invalidating their warranty). This is something we British consumers aren't used to. And to top it all off, they expect you to pay 269 quid for it. Hrm.

I saw about six adverts last night for the iPhone - I guess that Apple's advertising onslaught is all they've really got going for it. The disappointing thing is, people are stupid enough to buy into it.

Mike, Belfast, UK

Let's just take the headline
"Britons will pay an £80 premium for the Apple iPhone"
What nonsense...
The US price of $399 is before tax, so let's take our price before tax which is £229.
Then you are using the extraordinary current exchange rate of 2.05... let's use a slightly more realistic average of 1.7
This brings the pre-tax cost of the US iPhone to £235.
So OUR UK iPhone is actually SIX Pounds cheaper than it is in the US.
Happy Days!

Chris Fletcher, Leeds, England

What anti-US xenophobia? You're paranoid mate.

Mark, London,

"in the UK customers will have to pay £269, assuming they do not sign up for a contract at the same time."

No quite correct: it's £269 regardless of when you sign up for a contract. If you sign up for a contract when you buy the phone (and, you don't need to: Apple has designed the device to be activated and registered with O2 from your own computer) it doesn't lower the price.

Nik Fletcher, Hampshire, England

I think the article misses the point. Apple is not about price, it never has been. Apple is about value. Apple is to computers and technology, what business class vs. economy is in airline flight; convenience, comfort and frankly, better treatment.

The unescapable fact is there are enough people wealthy enough to pay for convenience, and in the case of the iPhone, that convenience is seamless integration with Apples' operating system - your email, contacts and appointments synchronise seamlessly to the iPhone. Not to mention music and movies. All it takes is one touch of the "Sync" button.

This is not the experience of Windows users who find their feature cellphones & pda "buggy" to say the least.

The real question is "are there 200,000 people in England who value convenience? I rather think the answer to that question, as the next 2 months will show, is "Yes." As for the anti-US xenophobia expressed here, it's sad to see that element here. Get a life, buy a Mac!

David, Los Angeles, California, USA

The link between apple and O2 is a real surprise.

O2 is owned by Telefonica, a continuing monopoly in Spain that makes BT's worst days appear as beautiful as most honeymoons.

fredkeeling, almunecar, spain

Two fact checks here:
1. "Britons will pay an £80 premium for the Apple iPhone, prompting fears that the launch may be less frenzied than in the US". The same iPhone model launched in the USA at £599, which is more expensive than the launch price in the UK. There's a premium on the current direct comparison to be sure, but £48 of that is the Exchequer's markup for VAT. The analyst's point about the iPod Touch is a better one. Plus Apple's more popular in the US generally, across established Mac & iPod lines.

2. EDGE will usually be slower than '3G' (basically a low-end 3G technology, it is often called '2.75G'), but far from being 'significantly slower', it actually overlaps - EDGE's optimal performance is 473.6 kbit/s. 3G begins at 384 kbit/s. It's a tradeoff - EDGE has better power consumption, 3G's has better UK coverage as your article implies.

John Allen, Oxford, UK

As an o2 customer of 4 years (whose contract needs renewing) and an apple user of almost as long, I imagine I'm in the target customer bracket.

Additionally, I'm in my mid twenties and have a good income.

All this and will I be buying an iPhone? No chance. Why? Simply too much money. Apart from £269, my monthly contract will go up and provide me with less minutes and texts, and I imagine another version will be released, at latest, within a year, so why would I want to sign-up for an 18 month contract?

I hope many people will feel the same and show that what apple and o2 are doing I can only describe as "retail arrogance"

Richard, Glasgow,

I have been following the iphone over the internet before it's launch in the USA and I can understand the hype due to it's easy to use interface, but I have also followed other mobile phones which I believe offer similar capabilities and which I would consider buying over the iphone when they are released. Samsung F700, Meizu M8 Mini One, Cect P168, Digiware D99i which all offer touch screen and video. On a slightly larger scale the Nokia N810 and ASUS eee PC 4G offer internet on larger screens using BluetoothWiFi connection to your existing mobile phone. Technology is advancing so fast the choices can only get better and I am sure the Iphone will only accelerate this. As you can gather I will be purchasing a device with more freedom of choice and less limitation for a smaller finanical outlay. The Iphone will sell but I feel their joy will be short lived once they realise there are better product available which do so much more for their money.

Steven Fox, Great Harwood, United Kingdom

Facts:

In the US and Canada, most phones are sold as part of a package (contract) and they are free, same as UK.
The iPhone isnt a phone, it just happens to have a mobile phone as one of its many functions.
Its an iPod nano 8 gig with full screen video - thats £129.
Its a phone, lets say £75.
Its a small computer with wireless, full web browser (NOT like a phone web browser), email, youtube etc. lets say £200.

You are getting £400 worth of equipment, which doesnt exist in this form elsewhere, plus you have to pay for your phone calls, (duh) but the web part and email is FREE!

Sorry, whats not to like? It will sell like water in the desert.

If you use one - you will NEVER go back to a 'mobile phone' again. I know, I have two.

harry Wolf, Vancouver, Canada

If you buy one of these you are a fool. It is already outdated and yet again we have to pay over the odds from our trans-Atlantic brethren.
iPhone pricing is based similarly to that of their nano's. Less for more knowing that idiots will open their wallets. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Ross , Glasgow,

Who really would want an iBrick? As with most Apple products, expensive and quirky. Tries so hard to be stylish it's dramatically uncool.

Adam Nottage, West Sussex, UK

I've used an unlocked one here in Canada, it's a wonderful device.

However, one must remember that North American wireless technology is significantly behind Europe and Asia... great device, crap connectivity, so the full potential of this device cannot be realised.

Save your cash, wait for the 3G version.

nicemandan, Calgary, Canada

You forget that in the US, prices do not include tax, but in the UK, you have VAT. The price quoted, 269, includes VAT. If you take out the VAT, you have a more comparable figure. Apple claims that there are other costs associated with selling in different countries, but does not disclose them. Cheers!!

A Clark, Roseville, USA/CA