Apple have earlier this week announced the iPhone 4S – their latest smartphone. Coming a whole 18 months after the original iPhone 4, the new iPhone 4S shares the same design as its predecessor but features some updated specifications such as a dual-core 1GHz processor (as opposed to single-core), partial support for HSPA+ networks (up to 14.4Mbit/s) and a higher resolution 8 megapixel camera (as opposed to 5 megapixels).

The new iPhone 4S also comes bundled with iOS 5. Compared to iOS 4, iOS 5 comes with improved notifications, iMessage, Twitter integration and several user interface enhancements. iOS5 is also available to iPhone 3G S and iPhone 4 owners but performance will be a bit more sluggish due to the slower processors found in both of the older devices.

What are the differences between the iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S?

The iPhone 4S is only a very incremental small upgrade to the iPhone 4 whereas the differences between the iPhone 3G S and the iPhone 4 are much more significant. Comparing the iPhone 4 with the 3G S: the iPhone 4 has a higher-resolution “Retina” display, a faster processor, a higher-resolution camera with flash and a larger capacity battery. The iPhone 4S is much more similar to the iPhone 4: it shares the same design and only features small incremental improvements to the specifications (a dual-core processor, HSPA+ support and a higher resolution 8 megapixel camera).

When will the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 be available?

The iPhone 4S will be available in the UK on October 14th. In the UK, it is being stocked at launch by Three, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone. All four networks are currently accepting pre-orders. O2 are only offering it to existing customers as an upgrade. You can also purchase an iPhone 4S directly from Apple SIM-free. If you do this, you’ll need to buy a SIM Only contract for your iPhone.

If you own either an iPhone 3G S or iPhone 4, iOS 5 will be available for download through iTunes on October 12th. As iTunes only checks for updates on a weekly basis by default, you should click on the “Check for updates” button to manually check for an update to iOS 5.

What deals will the iPhone 4S be available on?

Three, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone are offering the iPhone 4S on a myriad of different contract plans.

For a typical mobile phone user who uses 300 minutes per month, Three offer the best deal on a 32GB iPhone 4S:

For a heavier mobile phone user who around 600 minutes per month, Three once again offers the best deal. For £35/month plus £189 upfront, you’ll get a 32GB iPhone 4S with 2000 minutes, 5000 texts and all-you-can-eat internet with no download limits. You’ll also get a free mobile broadband service included via tethering.

How much internet will I need for the iPhone 4S?

Unfortunately there isn’t really a simple answer to this – it depends very much on how you use your phone. According to the chaps at billmonitor, average data usage is 147MB per month (for all phones, not just the iPhone). The guys at Three claim that the average iPhone user on their network uses 1.2GB every month (that’s 1200MB per month).

We’ve got a complete guide to download limits and what terms such as 500MB mean in reality. If you’re unsure, something like Three’s iPhone 4S all-you-can-eat data plan will give you the reassurance of not having to worry about your download limit and any additional charges which could be incurred.

SIM-only tariffs are ideal if you purchase your own iPhone 4S without a contract.

How much will the iPhone 4S cost without a contract?

If you’re looking to buy the iPhone 4S directly from Apple without a contract, it’ll cost you:

• 16GB iPhone 4S: £499
• 32GB iPhone 4S: £599
• 64GB iPhone 4S: £699

You’ll still need to buy an airtime contract for your iPhone 4S in order to make and receive calls and texts and to use the internet on-the-go. SIM Only tariffs are ideal for people who purchase a phone separately from an airtime contract. You’ll need a micro-SIM in order for it to be compatible with the iPhone 4S. Examples of micro-SIM tariffs include Three’s offer of 300 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet for £15/month on a 1 month rolling contract.

Which networks will be stocking the iPhone 4S at launch?

From launch, the iPhone 4S is being stocked at launch by Three, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone. All four networks are currently accepting pre-orders. O2 are only offering the iPhone 4S to existing customers as an upgrade.

What’s the difference between iPhone 4 with iOS 5 and iPhone 4S?

If you purchase an iPhone 4 and upgrade it to iOS 5, it should be reasonably similar to the iPhone 4S: the entire user interface of the phones and the apps available will be the same as on iPhone 4S. The only difference will be in the hardware specifications: the iPhone 4S has a dual-core processor rather than a single core processor, an 8 megapixel camera instead of a 5 megapixel camera and support for faster downloads through HSPA+ networks. You’ll also need an iPhone 4S to make use of the Siri voice control feature.

If I’m buying an iPhone 4S on a different network, can I keep my existing mobile phone number?

Yes – it is simple to transfer your mobile phone number to your new iPhone 4S – even if you are switching networks. You simply need to ask your existing network for a PAC Code which should then be provided to your new mobile network. The entire process should take no more than 24 hours and you’ll continue to receive service on your old phone during those 24 hours. Our PAC Code Finder will take you through the process of transferring your number step-by-step.

Related posts:

1. Apple iPhone 4S VS Samsung Galaxy S II: Comparison of iPhone, Android Superphones
2. Compare Apple iPhone 4S Prices and Tariffs: Price Comparison Calculator
3. The iPhone Tariff Price Comparison Tool – with 23 iPhone tariffs

When you buy an iPhone, it’ll typically be locked to a mobile network. This means it’ll only work with SIM cards from that network (e.g. an iPhone locked to O2 won’t accept a SIM card from any other network). Most iPhones are sold locked: the exception is if you’ve purchased your iPhone directly from Apple without an airtime contract. In order to use your iPhone on another network, you’ll need to unlock it.

Unlocking your iPhone gives several benefits:

• You can save about £180/year by switching to a SIM-only contract. For example, iPhone 3G S users could switch to Three’s £15/month SIM Only deal which comes with 600 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet. You’ll probably be paying around £35/month on a standard iPhone tariff for the same deal so Three’s deal saves you £240/year. You’ll get 1GB internet included too – double the 500MB offered on standard tariffs. iPhone 4 users could switch to the £15/month micro-SIM deal which offers 300 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB internet on a 1 month rolling contract.
• You can use a local SIM card when travelling abroad. When using your UK SIM card internationally (roaming), you could often be paying up to £1.50/minute for phone calls, 50p per text message and £6/MB for internet when using your iPhone abroad. Whilst there are ways to cut your roaming bill, the cheapest option is to buy a SIM card locally in your country of travel. This will allow you to use the full feature set of your iPhone, including internet access, without having to worry about roaming bills. You’ll need an unlocked iPhone to use a local SIM card.
• You can pass on your old iPhone to a family member, friend or colleague. If you’re upgrading to a newer smartphone, you should unlock your old iPhone before passing it onto friends or family members. This will allow them to use it on the network of their choice and to benefit from the wide variety of SIM Only deals currently available.

Is it legal to unlock an iPhone?

Yes, it is perfectly legal to unlock a phone.

Unlocking your iPhone can open up a world of cheaper tariffs at home and abroad.

Mobile networks will often “lock” your mobile phone because they subsidise them. Because you can purchase a new iPhone at reduced price with a contract (subsidised by the network), they don’t want you to take their subsidised phone and to use it straight away on a different network. You can usually ask your network to unlock your phone so you can use it on other networks. Although they are under no obligation to unlock your phone, most networks will happily unlock it providing you pay an unlocking fee (usually no more than £20).

In this guide, I only discuss the official methods of unlocking your iPhone. You may find other unofficial methods of unlocking an iPhone on the internet. These methods might offer to unlock your iPhone by offering you a code or software. There is no guarantee that these methods will work: some of them are scams and some of them could render your phone unusable. Others will successfully unlock your phone but only temporarily: regular software updates from Apple often fix these loopholes and will return your iPhone to the locked state. At the very least, your warranty would probably be invalidated by unlocking your iPhone in an unauthorised manner. Please do your research very carefully and make sure you understand what you’re doing if you choose to unlock your phone another way.

How much money could I save with an unlocked iPhone?

Providing you’re no longer locked into a contract, you can usually save between £180/year and £240/year by unlocking your iPhone and switching to a SIM-only contract. The iPhone can be used on any SIM-only tariff with an inclusive data allowance.

The best deals are generally found on Three:

• £15/month for 600 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB internet
  Available for iPhone 3G S only (12 month contract)
• £15/month for 300 minutes, 3000 texts, 1GB internet
  Available for either iPhone 3G S or iPhone 4 (1 month rolling contract)
• £25/month for 2000 minutes, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes, 5000 texts, all-you-can-eat data and free tethering
  Free mobile broadband service included when you use the iPhone’s tethering functionality (requires iPhone 4 and iOS 4.3 or later).
  Available for either iPhone 3G S or iPhone 4 (1 month rolling contract)

You can unlock savings of around £180/year by switching to a SIM-only tariff.

Aside from Three, other major networks including O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone also offer SIM-only tariffs which are suitable for use with an iPhone. However, they tend to be pricier than Three’s offerings.

When selecting a SIM-only tariff, make sure you choose a tariff with an inclusive data allowance. iPhone 4 users will need to make sure they receive a micro-SIM card rather than a standard sized SIM card.

If you’re changing network, you can keep your existing phone number by requesting a PAC Code.

How do I find the IMEI number on my iPhone?

During the unlocking process, your mobile operator will ask for the IMEI number of your iPhone. The IMEI is a serial number which is unique to every mobile device. You’ll need to provide the IMEI so that your mobile operator can unlock the correct device.

There are three ways of finding the IMEI number of your iPhone:

• Go to your iPhone keypad and enter *#06# (star hash 06 hash). Your iPhone’s IMEI number should appear on the screen.
• In the iPhone menu, go to Settings > General > About. The IMEI number should be listed.
• Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes. On the iPhone information page, click on your phone number. This will cycle through several pieces of information about your iPhone of which the IMEI number will be one of them.

How do I unlock an iPhone from O2?

Pay Monthly: Your iPhone can be unlocked free of charge at any time but you’ll have to honour the entirety of your contract (you aren’t able to cancel your contract early).

Pay As You Go: It costs £15 to unlock your iPhone. This comes from your Pay As You Go balance so you should top-up by £15 or more prior to requesting an unlock. If you unlock your iPhone within the first 12 months of ownership, you’ll lose the free Web & Wifi bolt-on that O2 gives you.

It takes up to 14 days to unlock an iPhone from O2. For more details and to begin the unlock process, see the O2 website.

How do I unlock an iPhone from Orange?

Orange will unlock your iPhone for a fee of £20 providing you’ve had it for at least 3 months. The unlocking process takes between 7-10 days to complete. According to Orange:

If it’s a pay monthly phone you’ll need to call 150 free from your handset, or 07973 100 150 from a landline (call charges may vary).

If it’s a pay as you go phone you’ll need to call 450 from your handset, or 07973 100 450 from a landline (call charges may vary).

Many readers have experienced difficulties in unlocking an iPhone from Orange (see comments below) although there are some success stories too. Please do share your experiences in the comments below too!

How do I unlock an iPhone from Three?

It’s been difficult to obtain any official information on how to unlock your iPhone from Three, but various reports across the internet have suggested it costs £15.32 to unlock your iPhone from Three. You can contact Three customer services on 333 to request an unlock.

If you’ve had any experiences unlocking an iPhone from Three (successful or not!), please drop us a comment below and share your experiences!

How do I unlock an iPhone from T-Mobile?

According to the T-Mobile forum moderator, T-Mobile charge £15.32 to unlock your iPhone. You must have held your iPhone for at least 30 days on Pay Monthly or 90 days on Pay As You Go. You should contact T-Mobile customer services by dialling 150 from your T-Mobile phone.

If you’ve managed to unlock an iPhone from T-Mobile, please drop us a comment below and share your experiences!

How do I unlock an iPhone from Vodafone?

Vodafone will unlock your iPhone for a fee of £15.32 on Pay Monthly or £19.99 on Pay As You Go. For Pay As You Go customers, the £19.99 charge is taken from your Pay As You Go credit so you should top up by at least £20 prior to unlocking your iPhone. It should take no more than 72 hours to unlock your iPhone. Requests should be made through Vodafone’s online form.

See the FAQ on the Vodafone website for more information.

I’ve made a request to unlock my iPhone. What’s next?

Once you’ve informed your mobile operator you want to unlock your iPhone and made the necessary payments, your mobile operator will inform Apple. Apple maintain a central list of unlocked iPhone devices and it can take up to 14 days for your iPhone to be added to this list. Once your device is on the list, you’ll need to connect it to iTunes to complete the unlocking process.

How can I check to see whether my iPhone has been unlocked?

The easiest way to test whether your iPhone has been successfully unlocked is to insert a SIM card from a different network. All of the UK’s major mobile networks offer free Pay As You Go SIM cards.

What about stores which offer to unlock your iPhone?

Some newsagents and shops may offer to unlock your iPhone. They will usually do this by “jailbreaking” your device. This is not the recommended method of unlocking as it isn’t a permanent unlock: you’ll need to jailbreak the phone every single time Apple releases a new software update. The only official way to unlock your iPhone is through your mobile network operator and the methods listed on this page.

Related posts:

1. Orange, Vodafone launch iPhone – hold off your iPhone purchase
2. Apple iPhone 3G on Orange, T-Mobile in the UK
3. Vodafone’s £25 iPhone SIM Only tariffs reviewed & compared to O2

What changes have been made to the O2 iPad tariffs?

From October, O2 is cutting the download allowances on their iPad tariffs for both new and existing customers. The £2/day tariff now buys 200MB of data (a 60% reduction from the original 500MB) and the £15/month tariff now provides 2GB of data (a 50% cut from the original figure of 3GB). The £10/month tariff so far remains unchanged at 1GB of data.

O2 claim that the original download allowances were simply “promotional” allowances. However, their original press release makes no mention of this fact nor was this fact communicated to bloggers or journalists at any point. As of going to press, many of O2′s web pages still don’t mention the fact that allowances are being cut at the end of the month (the O2 iPad SIM order page still lists the original allowances with no mention of the fact they are promotional). This is despite the fact that many of the people who order an iPad SIM card now probably won’t get it in time for the “promotional” allowances.

Are existing customers affected too?

Yes – this is the controversial part. Because the iPad tariffs are rolling 30-day contracts, O2 is well within it’s rights to change the download allowances for existing customers when they renew their tariff at the end of the month. However we suspect that many customers may automatically renew their tariffs without even realising there have been changes in the download allowance. Given that nobody actually knew it was a “promotional” allowance, we would have hoped that O2 would have allowed existing customers to renew on their existing tariffs.

We think that there will be some angry O2 customers who’ll be switching to an alternative network. Whilst the 30-day rolling contract is great for O2 in allowing them to cut their download allowances, it’s also great for consumers as they can easily switch to an alternative deal.

What  alternative iPad tariffs are available?

We’ve discovered that most people would get a better deal if they shop around for the best iPad tariff – typically Three offers the best deal. For example whereas £10/month would now buy 2GB download allowance on O2, you’d get a whopping 10GB on Three.

We’ve got a detailed guide to the iPad and iPad tariffs including a full listing of all the iPad tariffs in the UK.

I’ve got an iPad on O2. Can I cancel my contract?

Yes, you can cancel your contract at any time but you’ll need to keep paying until the end of the 30 day cycle. According to the Terms and Conditions of the tariff:

“You may cancel your recurring payment at any point up to midday on the day before your next 30 day payment date. If you cancel your recurring payment during a 30 day cycle or after midday on the day before your next recurring payment is due then you will be able to continue using the service until your data expires, but we will not refund any payment that you have made.”

What are MBs and GBs? How much download allowance am I likely to need?

Roughly, 1GB is enough for 1,500 rich webpages, 500,000 basic emails or 100 songs. See our guide to what data allowances mean in terms of web pages, emails or music downloads.

Related posts:

1. Buyers Guide to iPad & iPad Data Tariffs: micro-SIMs, tariff comparison
2. Three, Orange, T-Mobile offer iPad 3G from £199 on a 24 month contract; is it worth it?
3. The Internet in 2012: Discussing download limits, download speeds and video on demand

If you’ve been just a little bit jealous of the Android users and their free sat-nav app, feel envy no longer. The guys over at Skobbler have launched a free turn-by-turn GPS navigation app for iPhone users in the UK and Ireland.

Which iPhone or iPod Touch do I need to use Skobbler?

Skobbler is compatible with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S and iPhone 4.

Skobbler also claim you can use it with iPod Touch, however we struggle to see how you could use the app with only wi-fi functionality. We would suggest buying the in-car MiFi package from Three. It’ll create a wi-fi hotspot in your car with Pay As You Go internet access over Three’s 3G network. This should allow Skobbler to download the maps that it requires to work.

How well does it work?

It’s fair to say that people are divided about whether Skobbler is any good or not. Most people say that it tends to function OK as a GPS navigation application, but there are some niggles and practical issues with using it every day. Lifehacker have a decent review of Skobbler.

If you’ve used Skobbler, we’d love to hear from you too… drop us a review in the comments section below.

What maps does Skobbler use?

Unlike most GPS navigation tools, Skobbler doesn’t use professional grade maps from organisations such as the Ordnance Survey. Skobbler uses maps from the open source OpenStreetMap which is a wiki-editable world map. OpenStreetMap encourages users to edit the map themselves to fix errors or omissions. It is difficult to judge the quality of OpenStreetMap data and so I would seriously think twice about using Skobbler in a production environment. That said, as a free GPS service that takes you from A-to-B, it will probably do the job.

Do I need a data plan to use Skobbler?

Yes. Like Google Maps for Android, Skobbler downloads map data from the internet as you use it. This means you’ll need to have an inclusive data allowance on your iPhone tariff.

Where do I download Skobbler?

Skobbler is available in the App Store. There are two versions available:

• a free version (“lite”) which is ad-supported
• a paid version (costing £1.19) with additional speed camera warning function

Is it worth getting an iPhone for Skobbler?

No, not specifically. If you were really after Skobbler, you’d also be able to get it on Android. And Android phones tend to cost a lot less than a new iPhone.

If you’re looking for GPS navigation, my advice would be still to go with a dedicated device. Amazon have a range of GPS navigation devices for around £100. Dedicated devices usually come with maps preloaded (no data plan required) and may have additional features such as lane guidance and a larger screen.

I would recommend Skobbler only to people who already own an iPhone as a free way to get GPS navigation.

Related posts:

1. Free Google Sat-Nav application now available on Android phones in the UK
2. T-Mobile offering UK’s cheapest free sat nav phone: Nokia C5 on £10/month contract
3. “Instant Heart Rate” Android & iPhone application measures your pulse

I’ve received several reports from PAYG iPhone customers who complain that their Pay As You Go credit has been mysteriously dropping even though they’ve not made any calls or sent any text messages. This problem usually affects users who don’t have an inclusive data allowance on their PAYG tariff (or haven’t topped up enough to receive their free data allowance). Your iPhone continues to the data connection in the background even if you’re not actively using it to browse the web, etc. Although background data usage is usually fairly small, Pay As You Go tariffs such as O2′s Text and Web charge up to £3/MB for data usage if you don’t top up to get free data. This means that even a small amount of data usage can take a substantial amount out of your credit.

In this report, we’ve got a solution to this problem for iOS 4 users and for everybody else, a few tips on how you can reduce these charges.

The solution (iOS 4 users only)

If you’ve got the new iOS 4, you should disable “cellular data”. This will stop the iPhone and all applications from using data over your mobile connection. It will still allow you to access the internet through wi-fi. If you have an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3G S, you can download a free update to iOS 4 (although many iPhone 3G users report performance issues after the update).

To disable cellular data on iOS4: In the iPhone menus, go to Settings -> General -> Network. Flip the “Cellular data” switch to off.  In order to protect your credit, you should do this every time your free web allowance ends. Flip the switch back to on once your allowance returns.

Whilst you’re there, make sure data roaming is turned off… you’ll be glad you did this if you ever take your iPhone abroad. Whilst abroad, you’d pay about £6/MB – even more than here in the UK!

Other ways of cutting your data usage or reducing data charges

• Use wi-fi: If you’ve got a wi-fi network at home, make sure you set up your iPhone to use it. Not only will this reduce the amount of traffic sent over the mobile network (and hence your data charges), but you’ll often find downloads via wi-fi faster.
• Switch to SIM-only tariff: If you don’t current subscribe to a tariff offering data every month, you may find it easier to switch to a cheap SIM-only contract which does. For example, Three’s “SIM Only Internet” deal (see our review) gives you 2GB internet every month for £5. Meanwhile, T-Mobile would offer you 100 minutes, 100 texts and 1GB internet for a tenner a month (choose the “Unlimited Internet” Flexible Booster). Whichever tariff you choose, make sure it has an inclusive internet allowance. We’ve got a detailed guide to the best value SIM-only smartphone tariffs.
• Close background applications: In iOS 4, with multitasking, it is possible an application is still accessing the internet even if you’re not actively using it. Close background applications when you’ve finished with them to reduce data usage.

Related posts:

1. The iPhone 3G Cost Calculator
2. Vectone Mobile: 5p/minute calls on Pay As You Go, free credit for recieving calls
3. Compare Apple iPhone 4S Prices and Tariffs: Price Comparison Calculator

Three have today launched the iPhone 4 in both 16GB (stores only) and 32GB models and in both black and white editions. The cheapest tariff they’ve made the iPhone 4 available on is £30/month and offers 500 minutes, 5000 texts and 1GB internet every month. Aside from that, there are another three tariffs including Internet Texter 900 (which offer 900 minutes, 5000 texts, 1GB internet) and “The One Plan” (which offers 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, 1GB internet and is considered to be essentially “unlimited everything”).

What tariffs is the iPhone 4 available on?

In total, the iPhone 4 is available on 4 tariffs:

All Three iPhone tariffs come with 5000 Three-to-Three minutes, free voicemail, free Skype-to-Skype calls and Windows Live Messenger.

How do Three’s tariffs compare to the competition?

Generally we’ve found that Three offer more minutes and data for the same monthly cost and a smaller upfront cost. This means it’s a better deal for most people. They’re also accepting orders from new customers. We’re tracking all the tariffs over at our iPhone tariff comparison page but to give you an idea of the differences, here’s the list of £30/month tariffs across the networks:

What does 1GB internet actually mean? How does it compare to the other networks?

Three offers a 1GB internet limit on all of their iPhone tariffs. This compares to the 500MB provided by O2 (up to 1GB for higher priced tariffs), 750MB by Orange, 500MB by T-Mobile and 1GB by Vodafone. 1GB is roughly 10,000 basic webpages or 1,000,000 basic emails. See our detailed guide for more information on the meaning of these terms.

What other networks offer the iPhone 4?

All of the major 5 mobile networks and Tesco Mobile are offering the iPhone 4. We’ve listed every single UK iPhone tariff here. You can use our price comparison tool to find the cheapest tariff for you.

What’s the Three network like?

Three run their own 3G network with 10,000 masts and will fall back on the Orange network (2G) when 3 masts are not available. Three share their 3G masts and network with T-Mobile. You can use the coverage checker on the 3 website to ensure you can receive 3 where you live.

Can I keep my number if I switch to iPhone on Three?

Yes. You need to ask your existing network for a PAC code. You need to provide this code to Three when you sign up for your new contract. It can take up to 2 days to transfer your number between networks.

I already have an iPhone. DoThree have any SIM-only deals for iPhone?

Yes. Three have a range of SIM-only (iPhone 3G S) and microSIM-only (iPhone 4) tariffs.

What about the iPhone 3G S?

Three also offer the 8GB iPhone 3G S on a range of contracts from £25/month.

Related posts:

1. Three’s launch UK’s cheapest Apple iPhone tariffs yet, provide free memory upgrade
2. Orange, Vodafone launch iPhone – hold off your iPhone purchase
3. Market Data: Three gain and O2 lose as iPhone 4S shakes up UK mobile market

Since O2 lost their exclusivity on the iPhone, we’ve been waiting for iPhone prices to drop. It looks like we’ve might have just seen that now  as Three have just released their iPhone tariffs and they undercut the competition pretty substantially. The lowest priced tariff (£129 upfront plus £25/month for 32GB iPhone 3G S) costs roughly the same as a cutting-edge Android phone such as the HTC Desire as well as having 4x as much storage and a larger internet download allowance.

The iPhone 4 will be available soon on tariffs from £30/month with 500 minutes, 5000 texts and 1GB internet (more in a subsequent post).

iPhone 3G S: Get 32GB of storage for the same price as 8GB

Most networks offer 3 different models of the iPhone: 8GB iPhone 3G S, 16GB iPhone 4 and 32GB iPhone 4. Three are currently unique as being the only network to offer a 32GB iPhone 3G S too. Bizarrely, the 32GB model doesn’t cost a penny more than the 8GB model – which means that anyone considering buying an iPhone 3G S can quadruple their storage for free by choosing the 32GB model on 3. One thing though: the 8GB model is in Black and the 32GB model is in White.

For comparison between the 8GB and 32GB models:

* The effective cost per month is the total cost of the contract (initial cost for phone + monthly cost) divided by the number of months. It is provided for ease of comparison with contracts which provide a free phone.

How does this compare to the iPhone 3G S on other networks?

Typically, we’ve found that the 3 tariffs work out about £5/month cheaper than the best deal on the other networks. Furthermore, the fact you get a model with 32GB of memory instead of 8GB coupled with the larger internet download limit makes the Three deals extremely attractive.

How does this compare to the HTC Desire?

Three provide the HTC Desire on two tariffs:

• £30/month for 500 minutes, 3000 texts, 500MB internet
• £33/month for 900 minutes, 3000 texts, 500MB internet

We find that the iPhone 3G S is priced very similarly to the HTC Desire – the “better” phone depends on your personal preference.

What about the iPhone 4?

Three have announced their iPhone 4 tariffs but do not currently sell the iPhone 4 due to “stock issues”. We’ve listed all of their iPhone 4 tariffs here and we’ll update this page as soon as it’s available for order.

How does 3′s internet download limits compare to the other networks?

Three are offering 1GB/month of internet access on their iPhone tariffs. This means the download limit beats O2 and Orange and is the same as Tesco and Vodafone.

• 3 – 1GB/month
• O2 – 500MB/month
• Orange – 750MB/month (advertised as “unlimited”)
• Tesco Mobile – 1GB/month
• Vodafone – 1GB/month

What’s the 3 network like?

3 run their own 3G network with 10,000 masts and will fall back on the Orange network when 3 masts are not available. You can use the coverage checker on the 3 website to ensure you can receive 3 where you live.

Can I keep my number if I switch to iPhone on 3?

Yes. You need to ask your existing network for a PAC code and you need to provide this to Three when you sign up for your new contract. It takes up to 2 days to transfer your number between networks.

I already have an iPhone. Do 3 have any SIM-only deals for iPhone?

photo: Incase.

Yes. Three have a range of SIM-only (iPhone 3G S) and microSIM-only (iPhone 4) tariffs.

What other tariffs can I get the iPhone on across the networks?

We’re tracking the release of the iPhone across 3, O2, Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile and Vodafone over at our iPhone tariff listing. All the tariffs are sorted by contract length and price for ease of comparison. We’re currently tracking 52 individual tariffs.

How can I compare iPhone tariff prices?

Our iPhone price comparison tool makes it easy to find the cheapest tariff for you. We ask you to for the number of minutes/texts you typically use in a month and then we work out an estimate of how much you’d actually pay each month (taking into account the upfront cost for the phone and also excess charges for calls/texts outside the allowance). We also calculate the cost of the iPhone using some pricing loopholes and SIM-only tariffs and we’ll let you know if you’d save money by exploiting these deals.

Related posts:

1. Cheapest Apple iPhone 3G S now free on £18.50/month contract after price drops
2. Compare Apple iPhone 4S Prices and Tariffs: Price Comparison Calculator
3. Three launch UK’s cheapest HTC Desire contract – free from £17/month

Which iPad should I buy?

There are three different iPads – each with different amounts of storage/memory. The 16GB model costs £429, the 32GB model costs £499 and the 64GB model costs £599. Apart from the difference in the amount of memory, all of these iPads are functionally identical. All iPads have Wi-fi connectivity. There is additionally £100 upgrade available for 3G (internet via the mobile network) connectivity.

If you want to the internet on the go using a micro-SIM tariff (discussed below), you will need to pay the £100 extra for 3G connectivity and then to purchase a data tariff. iPad data tariffs typically cost around £10-£15 per month.

We strongly recommend that you think about how you will actually use your iPad in reality before stumping out for the £100 upgrade and signing up for a data tariff. Can you really see yourself carrying around the iPad with you everywhere? Will you use the iPad on the daily commute to work? Do you really need 3G data on your iPad when you’ve got it on your smartphone? If the answer to those questions were “No”, you might be wasting your money shelling out for 3G connectivity and a data tariff.

Secondly, you should be aware that you can still connect to the internet via the mobile network without the £100 upgrade. To do this, you’ll need to use 3′s Mifi accessory (reviewed here). It’ll work with all of your wi-fi enabled devices (laptop, iPod Touch, etc) and is even available on Pay As You Go (ideal because unused allowances carry over to the following month). If you’d only use your iPad on the move very rarely, this may be a much better value proposition.

The rest of this article is only applicable to users with iPads with 3G connectivity.

What should I look for in an iPad tariff?

photo: nromagna

First and foremost, you want the 3G internet connectivity on your iPad to actually work. There are 3 things you can do to find out what coverage is like and the speed of connectivity where you live:

1. The first thing we recommend doing is to check 3G coverage using the online coverage checking tools of each of the networks. Make sure that 3G coverage is available where you live. If only 2G or GPRS coverage are available in your area, we would stay clear of that network as the coverage would not be fast enough to provide a decent user experience with an iPad.
2. You can also use OFCOM’s Sitefinder website to find nearby phone masts (this will give you a good idea of where your local phone masts are and whether they are 3G enabled).
3. Ask a friend on that network what their phone 3G reception is like. Alternatively, grab yourself a free Pay As You Go SIM card on that network, stick it in your unlocked 3G phone and see how many bars of signal you get and make sure you can pick up 3G too. We find this tends to better reflect user experience than the online coverage checkers do as it reflects actual usage as opposed to theoretical predictions.

What is a micro-SIM?

A micro-SIM is essentially the same thing as a SIM card but it’s slightly smaller.

According to Wikipedia:

Even smaller device sizes have prompted the development of a yet smaller card size, the 3FF card or micro-SIM. Micro-SIM cards have the same thickness and contact arrangement [as SIM cards] again, but the length and width are further reduced to 15 mm × 12 mm.

As the only real difference between a standard SIM card and a micro-SIM card is its size,. This means that it is possible to convert a standard SIM card to a micro-SIM using a sharp knife. You can use any 3G data plan in your iPad with this technique – providing you can cut the SIM card down to size and providing your mobile operator will allow it. That said, we think you’d be hard pressed to find a standard 3G data plan which is better value than those designed specifically for iPad.

How much data do I need?

photo: loop_oh

It depends on how you use your iPad and where you use it. For example, if you regularly stream high definition videos from YouTube then you’ll use a lot more data than someone who mainly reads text-based articles. Also when you’re at home, you’ll be using your wi-fi connection. That won’t count towards your 3G data usage.

According to O2, 1GB is equivalent to 10,000 webpages, 200 songs, 2 hours of video or a combination of the three.

What iPad tariffs are available?

Apart from a Pay As You Go iPad tariff from Three (includes 3GB data with SIM), there are 12 micro-SIM tariffs are available all designed for the iPad. You can pay per day, per week or per month.

2 “pay per day” tariffs are available. The O2 deal provides marginally better value than the Orange deal with additional access to BT Openzone hotspots.

1 “pay per week” tariff is available. The only tariff available is from Orange and offers 1GB for £7.50 per week. We don’t think this is a good deal: for £7.50 you could have 1GB of data that lasts for a month on Three.

9 “pay per month” tariffs are available. The clear winner here seems to be Three’s £15/month 10GB tariff if you’re a heavy data user.

Is the iPad locked?

No. iPads purchased from Apple shouldn’t be locked to any network. Data tariffs are sold separately from the iPad. You can use any micro-SIM data tariff.

Article updated 20th September 2010: O2′s iPad tariffs have changed.

Related posts:

1. O2 quietly slashes iPad download limits by up to 60%: time to switch away
2. Three, Orange, T-Mobile offer iPad 3G from £199 on a 24 month contract; is it worth it?
3. The iPhone Tariff Price Comparison Tool – with 23 iPhone tariffs

How does it work?

This new loophole has been introduced by O2′s new “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs.

The “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs provide customers with the exact same airtime allowance as the standard iPhone tariffs (i.e. the same number of minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited internet and visual voicemail) but it doesn’t provide an iPhone. For this reason, the “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs are aimed at existing iPhone customers and are cheaper by roughly £15/month to £20/month.

However, this does not stop new iPhone customers from signing up to “Simplicity for iPhone”. The only thing is, you’ll have to source your own iPhone. And you can do that from O2 itself! By purchasing an iPhone on PAYG and then a “Simplicity for iPhone” contract, it is often sometimes be cheaper than buying the official contract.

Will it work for me and how much will I save?

As a general rule, you will save money using this loophole if you are ordering an iPhone 3G or you are choosing a tariff with 300 minutes or less. From my experience, most people fit into either of these two categories. To find out exactly how much you’d save using this loophole, enter the number of airtime minutes you require per month:

For more information on how this calculator and loophole works, see the information at the bottom of the article.

What are the other benefits and disadvantages?

photo: Flowery *L*u*z*a*

Advantages:

• You save money! (sometimes, use the calculator to find out)
• You’ll have a spare PAYG SIM card which comes with your PAYG iPhone. This SIM card includes 12 months of free web & wi-fi (worth £120). You could pass this onto a friend/family or use it in an old phone.
• You are only tied into a 12 month contract. This means you would be free to upgrade your iPhone or switch to a different network in 12 months as opposed to 18 months or 24 months.

Disadvantages:

• You will need to make a large payment upfront for the iPhone.
• It will cost £15 to unlock your iPhone if you choose to switch network later. This is because you have purchased it on Pay As You Go.

Do I need to unlock my iPhone to use this loophole?

No. As you have purchased your iPhone from O2, your iPhone will be locked to the O2 network. There won’t be a problem putting a O2 Simplicity SIM into an O2 Pay As You Go iPhone.

Is this the cheapest way to get an iPhone? How does this compare to the other networks?

We have updated our iPhone price comparison website which will now report the price of the iPhone on O2 Simplicity. You can use it to compare the cost of an iPhone on O2, O2 Simplicity, Orange, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone.

How do I get it?

If you would like to use this loophole:

1. Buy an iPhone on Pay As You Go
2. Order Simplicity for iPhone

Did it work for you?

We’d love to hear your experiences – drop us a comment below if this loophole worked for you.

How exactly does the loophole work? (the maths)

As an example, consider the 18 month tariffs. The following table shows the number of minutes you get on different standard O2 iPhone tariffs. We also show the monthly cost of the equivalent Simplicity tariff. In each case, the Simplicity tariff is £20/month cheaper and provides the same amount of airtime. Over the course of your 18 month contract, this leads to a total saving of £360.

However, we must also consider the cost of the iPhone itself. You will pay more for the iPhone upfront using this loophole (you need to buy it on PAYG) so that will erode away at the cost saving. In order to make a cost saving overall, the price difference for the iPhone must be less than £360.

Related posts:

1. O2′s “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs now from £15/month; unlimited texts
2. O2′s secret £20 iPhone ‘Simplicity’ tariff
3. T-Mobile release rip-off iPhone 4 tariffs. Our verdict? Stay clear; cheaper deals elsewhere

photo: Jeff Kubina

O2 are offering a range of “Simplicity” tariffs for iPhone users from £15/month with 300 minutes, unlimited texts and internet.

Yesterday we were the first to bring you news of the updates to O2′s iPhone tariff and the incorporation of “unlimited” texts onto their iPhone tariffs. O2 have today announced a much larger range of “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs which are all available online. This includes a £15/month tariff which is the cheapest iPhone tariff to date.

Simplicity for iPhone is a SIM-only tariff for your iPhone. SIM only tariffs are contracts which only provide you with airtime and do not provide you with a free phone. They offer good savings (about £180/year) to people who already have their own iPhone and have completed the original contract length. It’s also ideal if you’ve purchased a second hand iPhone or had one handed onto you.

What tariffs are available?

You can now choose from 5 different “Simplicity for iPhone” tariffs which all including unlimited texts. Each tariff is available on either a 1-month rolling contract or a 12 month contract. There is a £5/month discount for the 12 month contract.

All of the tariffs include visual voicemail.

We think that the £15/month iPhone tariff (300 minutes, unlimited texts, unlimited web and wi-fi, visual voicemail) on 12 months is a real highlight – certainly the cheapest iPhone tariff on the market.

Which tariff should I choose?

photo: Jeff Kubina

The right tariff for you would depend on how many minutes you regularly use. Once you’ve used your inclusive airtime, it will cost 20p/minute to make a phone call so costs can quickly add up. Make 400 minutes of phone calls on a 300-minute tariff for example and you would end up paying £40 that month (£20 for the base tariff plus £20 for calls). It is often better to choose a tariff with more minutes than you require than to exceed your airtime allowance regularly.

Another important decision is whether to go with the 1 month rolling contract or the 12 month contract. The 12-month contract has a £5/month discount. If you’re looking to upgrade to the iPhone 4 in the next 12 months, you may be better off with the 1-month rolling contract.

How much money will I save by switching to “Simplicity for iPhone”?

Typically, about £15/month or £180 per year providing you are happy to sign the 12-month contract. For example, you might currently be on the old £35/month iPhone tariff (600 minutes, 500 texts, unlimited internet). By switching to the £20/month “Simplicity for iPhone” tariff (12 month contract), you’ll get 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB internet! A saving of £180/year as well as extra texts. If you’re concerned about the 500MB internet usage limit, see our guide to what this means in the real world.

How does Simplicity for iPhone work?

When you purchase “Simplicity for iPhone” online, O2 will send you a new Simplicity SIM card. You need to insert this new SIM card into your iPhone. You can also ask O2 Customer Services to transfer your existing phone number onto your new SIM card. Remember to cancel your existing iPhone contract – otherwise you will keep paying for it.

Who can get Simplicity for iPhone?

photo: Jeff Kubina

As these tariffs are now available on the O2 website, it looks like anybody can get “Simplicity for iPhone”. This includes customers who bought an iPhone on Pay As You Go or who originally purchased their iPhone on a different network (providing it is unlocked). If you have come to the end of your original iPhone contract, you should switch to a SIM-only iPhone tariff as soon as possible.

Can I tether on “Simplicity for iPhone”?

Yes. You can purchase 3GB of data for £10 per month. This is available when you purchase the tariff online.

Where can I get Simplicity for iPhone?

Previously you had to call O2 Retentions to get the Simplicity for iPhone tariff as it was a secret tariff only available to people who wanted to leave. They are now available online which makes it a lot easier to get them:

• 1 month contracts
• 12 month contracts

What are the alternatives?

We would say that 300 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet for £15/month is pretty hard to beat. That said, if you’re looking for more minutes or you experience reception/reliability issues with O2, it’s worth shopping around. Vodafone also offer two SIM-only tariffs aimed at the iPhone. You can also check out our guide to SIM only tariffs for the smartphone.

How about the standard Simplicity?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to get the unlimited internet bolt-on with the standard Simplicity tariffs any more. I strongly recommend against signing up for a standard Simplicity tariff as you will spend a lot of money on data charges. Be sure to select “Simplicity for iPhone”.

What if I don’t have an iPhone yet?

It is often cheaper to purchase an iPhone on PAYG and then use a Simplicity SIM card with it. See our guide to this loophole and find out whether it’ll work for you.

Related posts:

1. O2 to introduce unlimited texts on iPhone tariffs
2. O2′s secret £20 iPhone ‘Simplicity’ tariff
3. Unlimited texts tariffs from £5/month; fair usage policies and limits