14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless carrier O2 UK will offer the new Apple iPhone 4 only for existing customers at the beginning, the company has recently announced. It seems that, since the iPhone 4 sees such high demand on the market, the carrier fears it might remain out of stock, thus choosing to offer the new handset exclusively to existing customers starting with June 24 until “at least the end of July.” The announcement follows the recent unveiling of plans and pricing O2 has put in place for the device.
“iPhone 4 will only be available for existing O2 customers at launch. iPhone stock will be extremely limited in the UK at launch and not everybody who wants one will be able to get one straight away. We want to make sure that our existing customers get priority so until at least the end of July, only existing O2 customers will be able to get an iPhone 4 from us. Whether you're an existing O2 mobile customer looking to upgrade, or one of our broadband customers looking to move your mobile to O2, our iPhone stock is reserved exclusively for you,” the wireless carrier states on its website.
O2 customers interested in purchasing the new handset from the carrier should be able to do so from all O2 stores, as well as from Carphone Warehouse, Best Buy, Phones4U and Apple stores, the company states. Moreover, it seems set to have some of its stores opened early on June 24, and offers a list of opening hours of its shops here. One thing that should be noted is that the iPhone 4 won't arrive in O2's online store until the end of July.
O2 had been the exclusive carrier for Apple's iPhone for a couple of years until the autumn of 2009, when other wireless operators in the country picked it up too, including Vodafone and Orange. These carriers did not announce a move similar to that of O2, though they unveiled officially their pricing and plans for the iPhone 4. Those interested in O2's iPhone 4 tariffs can take a look at them here.