Last Friday saw the launch of the iPhone 3GS across the globe. We decided to take a plunge and go to London UK’s Apple Flagship store to get our shiny new iPhones, and also to document the day.

The queues in the Apple Store were mad. Hundreds of patient users waiting to part with hard earned cash for a new iPhone 3GS. In true Disney style Apple managed to snake the queues round to cram as many people into the store as possible. Then with military precession they were moved from staging point to staging point before finally getting to the sales guy, and getting the new iPhone.

We also took a trip to the Oxford Street Carphone Warehouse where things where a bit quieter, CPW were only selling the iPhones on 18 month O2 Contracts.

The video covers us tramping round London to find some iPhones, and also shows the quality of the new video camera in the phone. This video was taken in my car whilst in a HR iPhone mount (review to follow shortly…)

Our video follows:
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Well it has been a couple of days since Apple announced the iPhone 3GS, the dust has settled and reality bites again.

So what did we really get out of all the rumours that were circulating prior to the WWDC keynote?

On the hardware/firmware side there is:

• More memory – 16Gb and 32Gb models
• Faster processor – 600MHz (from 412Mhz)
• More RAM – 256Mb (from 128Mb)
• Faster graphics chip
• Faster wireless – up to 7.2Mbps where available
• Better Camera – 3Mp autofocus camera
• Video recording
• Improved finger resistant screen
• Improved battery and power consumption
• Tethering – use the iPhone as a modem
• MMS messaging
• Magnetic Compass
• Integration with Nike+ shoes

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With just over 24 hours until the annual Apple World Wide Developers Conference or WWDC as it is termed to the Apple fraternity the rumours surrounding the announcement of a new range of iPhones has crescendoed to a peak where even respected conservative publications are joining in.

Reported on the FT.com website:
“Apple plans to introduce a cheaper version of its popular iPhone as soon as Monday, in a move that could dramatically increase the company’s share of the market for web-surfing devices, people familiar with the initiative said on Thursday.

Analysts said that the company wanted to show off either a $149 phone or a $99 phone, down from the current low end of $199 and still subsidised in exchange for an AT&T communications service contract.”

Of course this is all speculative. Apple may indeed (and hopefully will) announce new iPhones, but there is no guarantee that they will make the announcement during the WWDC keynote. It makes a lot of sense to do so, but in the absence of Steve Jobs will Apple break with tradition and let someone else announce the latest additions to their wireless hardware, or will Steve Jobs make a surprise visit and take the limelight of the latest and greatest product announcements.

All will be revealed in just over 24 hours time.

With just a week to go before the Apple WWDC 2009 the Moscone Conference centre in San Francisco is getting prepared for the biggest Apple event of the year. The Apple Logo is being applied to the outside of the building, and the inside is being decorated with banners.

Just like last year the emphasis seems to be on the iPhone and AppStore with no visible marketing material for the Mac or OSX, but these are early days and we can only get a glimpse of what is happening from the workforce erecting the banners and displays.

Thanks to Adam Jackson’s flikr pictures for images of the Moscone Center.