iLounge

By Charles Starrett

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Monday, August 4, 2008
News Category: Mix

United Kingdom-based newspaper The Daily Mail reports that Apple plans to release a “nano” version of the iPhone in time for the holiday season. The report, which cites only one anonymous industry source, suggests the product would be aimed at pay-as-you-go customers that might find the iPhone 3G too expensive.

Noreve has introduced its new Diamond Leather Case for the iPhone 3G (pictured). The simple sleeve-style case is adorned with 272 diamonds with a total weight of 6.8 karats, and also features soft interior lining and access to the phone’s headphone jack and power button. The Noreve Diamond Leather Case for iPhone 3G is available now and sells for 9,990€ (~$15,570).

Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer that builds the iPhone 3G for Apple, has ramped up production of the handset to 800,000 units per week, according to TechCrunch. Citing a source close to Apple with direct knowledge of the numbers, TechCrunch reports that the number is “above current full capacity,” and there may be concerns with quality control given that fact. The report goes on to state that Foxconn is now producing iPhones at a rate of 40 million units per year, more than early estimates of demand for 25 million iPhone 3G’s over the product’s life cycle.

Apple will begin selling the iPhone 3G in Russia in 2009, according to a new report. Citing Russian publication Vedomosti, Kommersant reports that Pyotr Semenov, Sales Director for official Apple retailer Maczone, claimed that the iPhone would be available in the country after the new year. The report also states that Russian carriers MTS, VimpelCom and MegaFon all confirmed that they were in negotiations with Apple over the iPhone, although the publication’s unnamed sources did not expect any one of the three to receive exclusive rights.