The new iPhone 5 is to be launched this Friday in Ireland. Looking at the carriers’ websites you would wonder if it is launching at all! O2 do not have any mention of the new phone on their homepage. Vodafone and eMobile have a “coming soon” notice, but no details of pricing and availability.

“3” have the best information, with a page dedicated to the iPhone 5 and details of plans and phone costs:
http://shop.three.ie/catalogue/products/iphone
They will sell the iPhone 5 on prepay for €659, whereas the bill-pay price plans have various costs, such as €40.66 per month and the iPhone for €319, or €60.99 per month and the phone for €269 (both prices based on 18 month contract).



As in the past, it looks likely that the iPhone 5 will cost between €200-300 euro on an 24 month contact, based on a €50-60 per month tariff. Apple’s website does not list prices yet, such as unlocked handsets, which are likely to be available from the Irish Apple Store:
http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone

The number of handsets available on Friday is likely to be small due to the worldwide demand. Apple are launching the iPhone 5 in 21 other counties on Friday, and so the chances of getting a phone on the day may be slim!.

Tags: iPhone 5 | Vodafone | O2

The new iPhone 4 has launched in Ireland, and we have the info you need. The iPhone is available on the Vodafone, O2 and 3 networks, and here are the details for each company:



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Tags: iPhone | Vodafone | O2 | 3

Vodafone have announced tethering prices for the iPhone.

1GB will cost an expensive €9.99, but 10GB will cost €19.90. This second option seems like far better value and matches Vodafone's prices for mobile broadband USB sticks.

However this compares to O2 rates, where the top plan includes 15GB for €19.99.
Here the current O2 tethering rates:
1GB - €12.50 monthly
7.5GB - €16.99 monthly
15GB - €19.99 monthly

What makes the O2 plan so cynical is that the iPHone comes with an unlimited data plan. It is just that when you use the iPHone to provide internet to your Mac or PC, they charge the tethering rates above.

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Tags: iPhone | Vodafone | O2

Internet tethering on the iPhone offers the possibility of using your phone as a modem, something which is very welcome for travellers and business users. It may can reduce the number of devices you carry with you, as many people on the road would already have a USB modem, which plugs into a laptop and provides 3G data access.

Apple explain the steps required to set up internet tethering on this page, and troubleshooting tips here.

However the situation in Ireland is quite different when you go to use this feature. O2, still the only official provider of iPhones in Ireland, charge an extra fee for using tethering. Here are their current prices:
1GB O2 Advance Internet Tethering - €12.50 monthly - 1 GB usage allowance
7.5GB O2 Advance Internet Tethering - €16.99 monthly - 7.5 GB usage allowance
15GB O2 Advance Internet Tethering - €19.99 monthly - 15 GB usage allowance


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Tags: iPhone | O2 | Vodafone | Tethering

Since O2 launched the iPhone in Ireland in March 2008, Visual Voicemail has been missing from the offering. When we contacted O2 about this in 2008, we were told that this would possibly be introduced if customers expressed interest. However at this point, we are sure that most people using an iPhone in Ireland are unaware that Visual Voicemail is available in other countries, such as in the US and the UK.



Visual Voicemail was one of the key features of the iPhone when announced by Apple in January 2007. When O2 introduced the iPhone in the UK, Visual Voicemail was available, but the subsequent launch in Ireland excluded this feature. We speculated at that time that Apple were more concerned about launching on a network in Ireland than on insisting on this feature with the carrier.

We will be interested to see what happens when the iPhone is officially launched on Vodafone in 2010. Will this be the first chance for customers to use Visual Voicemail, and will O2 finally introduce this feature?.

Tags: iPhone | O2 | Vodafone

In the last few weeks, there have been a number of iPhone “worms” which can effect jailbroken devices. Now to be clear, this does not effect people with an official O2/Orange iPhone. This problem is only relevant to those who have hacked their iPhone, normally to use their phones on other networks.


For example, any iPhone with an application called Cydia or Icy installed has been jailbroken, and this can open your iPhone up to hackers. This is because access to your iPhone may be set to use a standard password, and one which is widely known and being exploited by the hackers.

However iPhone Central have provided a clear and easy way to change the “root” password for your device, and we would strongly recommend that any users with a jailbroken phone follow these steps..

Tags: Jailbreak | Orange | O2

People may have noticed the decline in good Mac outlets in Dublin in recent months. The closure of some Spectra Photo stores which once stocked Apple products (Dundrum and Grafton Street for example) is the biggest blow to the availability of Mac goods in Dublin. O2 have also left this market in recent times, and O2 PR confirmed to us that no O2 stores currently supply Mac equipment in Ireland..

Tags: Apple Store | O2

O2 have released their tariffs and prices for the new iPhone 3G S. The new phones will be available form June 26th, although data tethering will not be available at launch. However MMS will be available from the start, something AT&T have been criticised for the in the US.
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Tags: O2 | iPhone

Mac Information have put together a PDF guide on roaming changes for data, and how best to avoid big bills. The PDF shows you how to use WiFi only when roaming, and how to change your settings before stepping on that plane..

Tags: iPhone | Roaming | Apple | O2 | Tips