Apple Now Selling iPhone 3G Online, Shipping for Free

Apple is now selling the iPhone 3G online to US customers, sweetening the pot even more by offering free shipping in an effort to clear inventory. While customers can now order directly from the Apple Online Store and have their new iPhone shipped for free to their doorsteps, it is unknown when Apple has actually introduced the change for the purchase process specific to iPhones.

The offer is only valid for customers new to AT&T, while existing AT&T ones will have to pay their local Apple retail store a visit, to pick up the handset themselves.

The move further fuels beliefs that Apple is gearing up to release a new iPhone model at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, this year. Many also believe that the company is focusing all its energy on an entirely different product (Mac tablet), while merely boosting performance in the iPhone, by adding a magnetometer, a better camera and overall better software, which we're already aware of.

Barron's reports that this is good news for Synchronoss (SNCR), which has disclosed in an SEC filing that it has entered into an agreement with Apple “to support certain transactions involving selected Apple products” on the site. An excerpt from Synchronoss' Form 8-K is available below.

Form 8-K for SYNCHRONOSS TECHNOLOGIES INC

14-May-2009

Other Events

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On May 13, 2009, Apple, Inc. began offering customers the ability to order, activate, and ship 3G iPhones via its www.apple.com website.
SynchronossTechnologies, Inc. (the "Company") has entered into an agreement with Apple to support certain transactions involving selected Apple products on Apple's www.apple.com website. Today's event was already taken into consideration when the Company provided its second quarter and full year 2009 guidance, and there are no additional changes to the Company's financial guidance as of today, May 13, 2009.

Visit Apple's online store here, to learn more about / to benefit from the latest iPhone offer.