Other than US, the iPhone 3G will be released in the following countries on July 11th:

Including the US, there are a total of 22 countries.

Looks like dropping the revenue-sharing model has proven the right move for Apple.

China Mobile is China largest mobile carrier with a customer base of over 380 millions. Previously, Apple was not able to seal a deal with China Mobile mainly because CM refuse to agree to the revenue-sharing model.

With that policy out of the way, Apple has at least won half the battle of entering the China mobile market. Industry watchers are saying the deal will probably not materialize until 2009 but Steve Jobs seems optimistic that he can bring iPhone into the China markets sooner than expected.

Know what is a Hiphone? It is the clone version of the iPhone and made in China. For a clone, it certainly is an impressive piece of work. It has a lot of the features found in an original iPhone, looks almost like the real stuff and yet cost only a fraction.

But with the upcoming launch of iPhone 3G, the Hiphone may have to bite the dust. Unless it can reinvent itself to match iPhone 3G features at a lower price. With iPhone 3G price starting from at US$199, the profit margins for Hiphone manufacturers will be eroded and many consumers may want to buy the real stuff instead.

However, the Hiphone has one distinct advantage over iPhone. It is unlocked! This means that you can use it with any telco you choose right out of the box without go through the hassle of a ‘unlocking’ process.

Here is a short video on what the Hiphone can do:

This looks like a very good protector from invisibleSHIELD for the iPhone. It doesn’t just protect the screen, it protect the whole phone!

According to the manufacturer, the invisibleSHIELD is made from a unique material originally created for the military to protect the leading edges of helicopter blades. It offers protection that other screen protectors, covers, skins, or cases just can’t match.

It also has over 2,000 copyrighted, precision-cut designs for a variety of gadgets, including iPods, smartphones, and cell phones. With this patent-pending full-body contour wrap, your iPone will look like it did the day you bought it.

If there is no invisibleSHIELD for your device, you can request the company to custom design one for you.

It even comes with a 30 days guarantee. You can ask for a full refund if you don’t like it. And if the invisibleSHIELD ever scratches, you can get it replace for free, for life.

Clik here for more information about the invisibleSHIELD for the Apple iPhone (Full Body)

It is annoying to every cellphone user when the cell phone battery flat out. For cell phone as powerful as the iPhone, the battery drain even faster when it is stretch to the max.

Try listening to your favorite song, checking your email and text messaging several friends all at once and see how fast the battery goes flat.

On the Apple website, the battery life expectations are quite clearly explained. The that information is applicable if you are running one application at a time. iPhone users love to multitask, which is a bane to the battery.

However, there 2 ways can make your iPhone’s battery life even longer.

1. Turn off the Bluetooth feature if you are not using it.

Very little people understand that when you keep your Bluetooth turned on, you are draining your battery power even if you are not using it.

This is because the iPhone is constantly searching for other Bluetooth devices, which require power to work. If you do not want to connect to a Bluetooth device, than make sure that your Bluetooth is turned off. This is also good practice from a security standpoint.

2. Always lock your iPhone when you are done using it.

When you are finished talking on the phone with your best friend, checking your e-mail or sending a text message, make sure that you activate the lock button. Many people wait for the screen to shut down by itself after they are using it. While this may seem like a great idea, you are wasting battery life by doing so.

Set your phone to auto-lock. This ensures your phone will lock itself just in case you forget to.

There are many iPhone owners that set their auto lock for five minutes after use. However, if you multiply this five minutes of power usage by ten times per day, your battery will go flat faster than you expect.  You should set your auto lock for one minute (1) after you have completed using your phone. This will ensure that the iPhone screen will not stay lit when it is not being used.

For those iPhone fans who love to do DIY repair, this video will be useful.
Note that it is not advisable to do your own repair if your iPhone warranty is still valid.

The new iPhone has quite a long list of new features but IMHO, here are the more siginificant ones.

Support for 3G

This is a big winning factor, given that 3G networks are getting better and faster. The iPhone 3G supports three 3G bands (850, 1900, 2100) as well as both UMTS and HSDPA networks.

Assuming the data speed is as good as Steve Job says, you can get much better surfing experience using the new iPhone 3G.

Design change

The iPhone 3G is slightly thicker than the first version except for the edges, which are thinner. However, you are not likely to notice the slight change except for the tapered edges.

The headphone jack is now flushed so that should please many current owners who find the recessed headphone jack in the first version a bit annoying.

There will be 2 color for the 16GB model (black and white) but the 8GB model comes in black only. Hey, if there is demand, maybe there will be a white one too.

Map and GPS

Unlike the original iPhone, the new 3G version will use Assisted GPS supplemented by satellites. You get live tracking so you can check your progress as you drive or walk.

The maps on iPhone lets you switch between map view, satellite view, and a hybrid view of both. (sort of like Google Map on iPhone). For those who love going on the off-beaten track, this feature is a big helper! In addition, the 3G phone also support photo geotagging.

MS Exchange Active Sync support

Business executives will love this one. The iPhone 3G will offer support for Microsoft Exchange Server. This means busy corporate executives can access their emails, contacts and calendar, etc at a touch of a button.

Longer Battery life and talk time

The iPhone 3G promises :

- 5 hours of 3G talk time
- 10 hours of 2G talk time,
- 5 hours of 3G Internet time
- 6 hours of Wi-Fi Internet time
- 7 hours of video playback
- 24 hours of audio playback
- 12.5 days standby time.
International language supports

Up to 16 languages are supported by the new iPhone. This include a graffiti-style application for entering characters in Asian languages. Big plus for those who do not use standard alphabets, such as people from China, Korea and Japan.

Price point

Price have dropped drastically. This is good news for new buyers but I’m not sure how the owners of the first version will feel.

$199 for the 8GB model
$299 for the 16GB version

Price are in US dollars and you have to enter a 2-year contract with AT&T.  This is the reason why the price is so much lower than the first version. AT& T is subsidising the cost. Btw, AT&T no longer has to pay Apple any revenue from each iPhone 3G sale (which was the case for the first iPhone).

This model will likely apply to international market as well (i.e. enter a contract with a local telco).

As the iPhone popularity grows, more third party developers will be rolling out new applications for the iPhone by the truckloads.  Expect more enhancements and new features in the upcoming months.

The 3G version of iPhone is finally here. Well … almost.  Schedule for near-worldwide release on July 11.

See the announcement from Steve Jobs :

One of the concerns that new iPhone owners have is whether their new toy can use the accessories meant for the iPod family? Fortunately, the answer is yes.

All of the iPhone’s are compatible with most of the iPod accessories, thus making your iPhone even more convenient and user friendly. You can still connect your iPhone to the speaker system your iPod used to connect with. In fact, the iPhone has the same connectivity port as the iPod, thus it will connect seamlessly to any iPod speaker systems as well as car docks. This is definitely good news for people who own both the iPhone and iPod products.

Of course, there are some accessories that have been altered to better fit the iPhone. An example is the headset. Yes, you can use standard headphones with the iPhone. However, if a call comes through, then you may experience slight inconvenience taking the headphones out and answering the phone.

This is why Apple has made a set of headphones that are designed to work seamlessly with the iPhone. These amazing headphones provide you with excellent sound quality, yet they also have a microphone built into the cord. Thus when you receive a phone call, your song is paused and you are able to answer the phone. You can also end the call by clicking a small button on the microphone. Another great feature about these headphones is the fact that you are able to hear your friends through more than one ear, which is a very unique and interesting, experience.

Here is an example of an iPhone headset:

HEADSET FOR iPHONE

For safety reason, you should always use a headset if you need to talk on your iPhone (or any mobile phone) while driving. While it is advised that you refrain from driving while talking on your phone, this can be a challenge for busy working professionals and those with a booming social life. Thus, a headset will allow you keep both your hands on the steering wheel while your conversations stay uninterrupted. And you also have the freedom to move your head back and forth to view all traffic around you.

For the ultimate conveience, you can choose to use a wireless bluetooth=enabled headset. No wire to mess around. In fact, you can walk away from from your iPhone and still continue your conversation without problem, as long as you stay within the ten meters radius limit. Here is an example of a Bluetooth headset for iPhone:

MOTOROLA H670 BLUETOOTH HEADSET.