O2 to sell iphone 3G at 7.05am 11th July?

Appearing to confirm some recent rumors senior O2 retail sources in the Midlands region of the UK claim that all company stores will officially open at 7:05AM local time, well ahead of normal schedules. The real-world opening is expected to be 7:02AM (a take on the company name) in keeping with a young tradition started when the original iPhone launched at 6:02PM for its November launch.

The shift from evening to morning reflects rumors of an early American launch that is believed by some to be necessary to handle the long wait times for in-store activating plans, which are believed to take roughly 10 minutes or more per customer.

O2 is also said by the new sources to begin stocking up on iPhone 3G units the week before the launch rather than the just-in-time deliveries that were made in some areas with launches of the original Apple iPhone. Demo units may be in use shortly afterwards, according to the reports.

For some customers, though, the most important news may come a year later. Separate O2 staff are suggesting that the wireless carrier’s usual policy of offering an unlock code for Pay As You Go phones after 12 months will remain true for iPhone 3G.

While the request for an unlock code costs £15, the gesture would at least theoretically allow iPhone customers in Britain to use their handsets on competing networks such as 3 or Vodafone or to swap SIM cards temporarily for local phone service while on holiday.

Personally with the in store activation now a necessity I cannot see once the phone is unlocked, future firmware updates causing any problems, in my opinion the new version of iTunes will no longer have any link with service plans and activation and let me throw something else out, I also think the iPhone 3G will out of the box be unlocked to any network.

main story via Apple Insider