iPhone 3G breaks cover, shows up in Swiss store display

You probably saw this one coming, but with that massive slew of countries and partners Apple has wrangled for the new iPhone launch, that July 11th street date was bound to be neglected. So here you have it, courtesy of the french blog Gadget O'Mac, an iPhone 3G on display in a shop in Switzerland. While the shots may be blurry, we at least get to see this thing in the hands of someone other than an Apple employee, and coupled with that Portuguese leak, this should thoroughly whet your appetite for Friday. Check out a few more shots after the break.

[Thanks, Florence]

[Jack Blackwell @ Jul 8th 2008 12:19PM]

Cool!

[Krush @ Jul 8th 2008 5:30PM]

oh, stop already!!! It's just a Meizu M8 knockoff for heaven's sake ... (mmmm ... warm "sake")

[DiGiC @ Jul 8th 2008 12:18PM]

I CAN:T WAIT!!!

[xtole @ Jul 8th 2008 12:32PM]

ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!

[nerdtalker @ Jul 8th 2008 12:39PM]

/Facepalm...

There are going to be hundreds of these display cases everywhere... Imagine the number of resulting stories as new ones are made and spotted in the wild... Oh the horror...

[BrianB @ Jul 8th 2008 1:00PM]

I can wait... till there are a ton of apps to download at the App Store.

[happy_penguin @ Jul 8th 2008 1:01PM]

I can.

Sure I'd love to have the 3G but I'll stick with my first gen iPhone for now. I just can't see spending the extra money on the service. They might entice me later if they add more storage.

[whatishalo? @ Jul 8th 2008 1:33PM]

So will new iPhone users act smug to old iPhone users because "my phone is better than your phone" (like they do for other non-iPhone users)?

Will old iPhone users claim "well I had MINE first"?

Will there be fist fights and chaos between 1st and 2nd gen iPhone users?

[Surur @ Jul 8th 2008 1:37PM]

Sales of just over a million iPhones a month break all smartphone sales records. All power to Apple.
--------------------------------------------------
Idiot. With more than 100 million smartphones sold last year that so-called "record" is routinely broken.

[Samrat Mazumdar @ Jul 8th 2008 1:41PM]

Cannot wait../.....

I am in India and seeing it releasing in west makes me mad!!!!!!!!

Please come here quickly

[Flashpoint @ Jul 8th 2008 2:07PM]

There will not be a shortage of Iphone3G's.

If you think back to the launch of the 4GB model, the Apple stores still had them long after the release date.

Furthermore, you aren't gonna be allowed to buy more than one - they are forcing you to sign up the contract right then and there to ensure no one tries to unlock them and sell them en mass.

I'm certain not too many people are going to RUSH to the stores to sign up for the new, more expensive contract.

It has been claimed that the new iPhone is actually forcing a shortage of the iPhone 4GB wherever it is sold - specifically EBAY.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 8th 2008 2:07PM]

There will not be a shortage of Iphone3G's.

If you think back to the launch of the 4GB model, the Apple stores still had them long after the release date.

Furthermore, you aren't gonna be allowed to buy more than one - they are forcing you to sign up the contract right then and there to ensure no one tries to unlock them and sell them en mass.

I'm certain not too many people are going to RUSH to the stores to sign up for the new, more expensive contract.

It has been claimed that the new iPhone is actually forcing a shortage of the iPhone 4GB wherever it is sold - specifically EBAY.

[CraigJ @ Jul 8th 2008 7:49PM]

Yeah, no demand at all:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080708/tc_nm/apple_iphone_uk_dc;_ylt=AroAuL_6o_hdQuCloPHzSLlk24cA

[nickels @ Jul 8th 2008 12:19PM]

looks nicer than the "fried chicken fingered" one

[David @ Jul 8th 2008 12:20PM]

I just wish o2 here in the UK would send a conformation e-mail saying i've got one. With all the issues on their site yesterday I'm not holding my breath!

[jonlevine @ Jul 8th 2008 12:42PM]

Looks thick

[JBell @ Jul 8th 2008 12:24PM]

why did they take close-ups of the back?

[lowdef @ Jul 8th 2008 1:45PM]

maybe because that is the ONLY physical difference between the 1st and 2nd gen iphones besides the metal volume buttons...just my opinion...

[Wes @ Jul 8th 2008 12:24PM]

Seriously? Are we going to get the same coverage for every store on the planet?

[tekdroid @ Jul 8th 2008 12:43PM]

I fear the worst...

[andyg8180 @ Jul 8th 2008 1:19PM]

this just in... ATT rebranded itself to Cingular... Iphone now has Cingular button on the case....

This just in, 145th st just got their iphones in...

This just in Main Street offices just got their iphones in

This just in Toledo is NOT recieving their shipments due to a UPS truck fire

This just in South Africa is only selling the white 3G iphones

More after the break...

[andyg8180 @ Jul 8th 2008 1:20PM]

this just in... ATT rebranded itself to Cingular... Iphone now has Cingular button on the case....

This just in, 145th st just got their iphones in...

This just in Main Street offices just got their iphones in

This just in Toledo is NOT recieving their shipments due to a UPS truck fire

This just in South Africa is only selling the white 3G iphones

More after the break...

[Zak @ Jul 8th 2008 1:29PM]

Stop bitching and use this.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/20/tired-of-iphone-and-or-apple-news-on-engadget/

[rock99rock @ Jul 8th 2008 4:07PM]

@Zak

People like to bitch. No one will click that link.

[Joe @ Jul 8th 2008 12:25PM]

I know it's supposed to be a little thicker, but that second shot makes it look significantly thicker.

[SirPasta117 @ Jul 8th 2008 12:34PM]

I agree, hopefully the person just has small hands lol

[redsoxidiot05 @ Jul 10th 2008 12:39AM]

thats what she said

[Nico @ Jul 8th 2008 12:33PM]

Pre-ordered mine from carphone warhouse (uk). got my confirmation email :)

[Gingerbread Man @ Jul 8th 2008 12:26PM]

To show you that you shouldnt try to come to their store and try and steal it because they have that serious phone damaging theft deterrent system!

[jimmywash @ Jul 8th 2008 12:27PM]

womp

[CraigJ @ Jul 8th 2008 12:27PM]

Apparently Mr Blurrycam knows no borders...

[genghis @ Jul 8th 2008 12:29PM]

A the swiss always first.

[w @ Jul 8th 2008 12:28PM]

iphone 3g:

http://iphoneportugal.com/index.php/topic,2897.0.html

[Noir @ Jul 8th 2008 12:34PM]

@ Everyone

"This is your new god.."

Be materialistic, self centered, and uninformed naive bubble that this society is.

[Jeff @ Jul 8th 2008 1:01PM]

i don't see you digging a hole in the wilderness to poop in.....

[Noir @ Jul 8th 2008 1:12PM]

yeah, enjoy "the man"(AT&T) grabbing you by the balls because this what lures poor saps like you into.

[Tony @ Jul 10th 2008 8:29PM]

I have to agree with Jeff. What gives you the right to look down your nose at anyone? Its not like you sent your post in via carrier pigeon. Whether you like it or not you are living on the same grid you are trying to be pseudo intellectual about hating. Get over yourself. If you can't afford the thing then save up and stop trying to act like you don't want one. If it’s so disgusting for you to see people excited about the latest technology then why are you here? Did you think you said something so profound that people were going to go back to horse and buggy and bartering with vegetables and livestock?

[bobslydell @ Jul 8th 2008 12:34PM]

Holy thickness!

[PS3guy @ Jul 8th 2008 12:43PM]

Man I just want to know when we getting the SDK lol

[Rakar @ Jul 8th 2008 12:42PM]

The SDK has been out for months...

[Mehul @ Jul 8th 2008 12:40PM]

Why does the keypad look different from current iphone?

[Radicalxdward @ Jul 8th 2008 12:49PM]

Where the frick is the white one. I want to see what it looks like in real life.

[Florence @ Jul 8th 2008 12:50PM]

It's been taken with a standart SE cam, hence the blurr. The hands in the pics are indeed quite small ^^ the iphone actually seems smaller than the 1st gen

[Jay @ Jul 8th 2008 12:54PM]

Im only gonna buy this phone for its software, and thats it!

I dont like what apple has done with the camera, and the plastic back

[Radicalxdward @ Jul 8th 2008 12:56PM]

Then why wouldn't you just buy someone's cheaper 1st gen? It's gonna have the same software.

[01 @ Jul 8th 2008 1:31PM]

Well, it's a new day, you're the sucker for it. (I am buying a new phone, but to not know enough that 2.0 is a free upgrade? Come on people...)

[Ben @ Jul 8th 2008 12:52PM]

I know they have their reasons, but why did they have to go to plastic? It's littered with smudges and I'm sure prone to scratches. I really preferred the metal casing.

[Zak @ Jul 8th 2008 1:32PM]

They went plastic because metal interferes with radio signals, such as GPS and cell tower signals. The original iPhone had a black plastic strip along the bottom of the back side for that reason, signal strength. With more antennas in the 3G iPhone, they had to make the entire back plastic.

It wasn't a design decision, it was a usability decision.

[Patrick McElligott @ Jul 8th 2008 2:56PM]

big effin deal, last years technology with 3 years ago technology added. SO INNOVATIVE!

[Jubei @ Jul 8th 2008 1:10PM]

Engadget is awesome. Keep up the great work. I hope to see more coverage of the iPhones releases in the coming days ahead.