O2 store down, iPhone launch imminent

We don't pay too close attention to how frequently the O2 online store goes down; hell, we only pay attention to the Apple store's ups and downs because every time Apple takes it offline we get about a hundred tips letting us know. But tonight the store-down moment goes to O2, which supposedly pretty much has the lock on the iPhone (pun not intended) in the UK. Check back here shortly, we'll have all the live coverage you could possibly need (and then some).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Brian (redban) @ Sep 18th 2007 4:18AM]

Os in mah pants..

[Brian (redban) @ Sep 18th 2007 4:18AM]

of course I meant O2..

[Max v W @ Sep 18th 2007 4:28AM]

Would be funny if O2 just did this for more speculation about iPhone and O2 while some other provider gets the iPhone. Put your store offline when El Jobso will speak and voila more rumors!

[Hypenotist @ Sep 18th 2007 4:26AM]

o2 deserves the initial uk launch if you ask me. They have supported htc, iMate, and other multimedia devices all along, and are leading edge when it comes to branding out and giving people what they pay for in a media phone/pmp. I thought they were Aussie based though but I was wrong. They had the o2 atom exec which is still one of the best windows based devices out with a bluetooth keyboard no less. Gratz to the rest of the world on getting iphones, too bad you can't subsidize them but you wouldn't want 2 year contracts anyway like us dumb americans take even at full retail.

[MS @ Sep 18th 2007 4:33AM]

A very small percentage of O2 customers will want an iPhone - Why piss all the rest of them off by having a 'Store Down' publicity moment? Just bizarre customer service...

[Liam Billington @ Sep 18th 2007 4:45AM]

What a fantastic way to increase your share price early in the morning.

[pj @ Sep 18th 2007 4:51AM]

so crazy its well going on sale today - the iphone has been taken out from the coming soon section on the carphone warehouse websit too lol so predictable

[Matt Smith @ Sep 18th 2007 5:06AM]

Apple Store UK is down now too.

[Philpo @ Sep 18th 2007 6:12AM]

Apple Store Up! No difference!

[Jenniferbellucci @ Sep 18th 2007 12:52PM]

Drones to apple...still running after them? Maybe if u look at the real world u will see that the iPOD has become 'classic'-ally crap (hence the apps' lockin in the current gen...thank god linux users dont like being told and cracked it) and then iTouch: just plain ordinary with a below par screen...and they said like the iPhone...yeah right...oh and the iMACs...only the 24" has a decent panel while the other ones are just 6bit low quality crap...I mean think people...yes the iPhone is kewl but I want to be able to get my emails (including my attachments), download tunes, run my mobile torrent client, watch my baby sis' face when I call her (luv 3g) and dont touch a tech device without hsdpa (tytn 2 has dual channel!).
So why should I give up any of the things currently possible?
The iPhone is awesome to look at and play with but once I get back 2 the real world of actually working there are very few phones that give me what I want. At least MS phones let u pretty much do anything u want to them - as standard. My baby sis thinks the iPhone perfect but then again she is just happy making a phone call:-|...actually she found out about the amount of radiation given off by laserprinters and refuses to go near them...ah...I luv my simple minded but really gifted sis:-)

JBell®

PS: Waiting to go home to open my new shiny MabBookPro with 4GM RAM...and before anyone asks...I unlocked my old phone (iPhone) and used for one week before it dawned on me that without emails, net and my OTA sync with exchange...I am useless during the week. People dont get me wrong I just dropped over £2k on a MBP so I am no MAC hater...I just dont think people should be brainwashed into thinking everything a company does is great.

[3rdsun @ Sep 18th 2007 6:26AM]

"every time Apple takes it offline we get about a hundred tips letting us know"

Well here's a tip, next time Apple store goes down let it stay down, I don't care if its up or down. That is worthless news. Maybe next time report when Steve Jobs wears something other than turtle necks and jeans.

[Fred @ Sep 18th 2007 8:14AM]

The O2 shop site is down but says:
Please note, the iPhone is not available until 9th November 2007.

[applefreak @ Sep 18th 2007 8:21AM]

veyr punny, pun intended