Apple is now preparing to launch the third and final phase of the international iPhone rollout of 2008, which can begin as soon as this weekend.
The Cupertino-based company has had ambitious plans of launching the iPhone 3G throughout at least 70 different countries worldwide. Apple is planning the announcement of expansion from the 44 nations that currently have the device to a total of 73 by the end of the year. Recent emails to AppleInsider have provided information that gives insight into what can be expected.
There has been indication that a few of these rollouts will take place as early as this Friday, September 26th, as both Brazil and South Africa are gearing up for the device’s arrival. The additional 29 countries that are expected to be included in this last stage of global expansion, include: Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Russia, Qatar, Senegal, South Africa, Turkey, and Venezuela. Both China and Korea have been stricken from the list due to complications in the launch process.
Apple’s first section of the international iPhone rollout happened on the device’s official launch date back on July 11th of this year. Upon initial release, 22 countries worldwide had the privilege of owning the device. On August 22nd of this year, Apple had doubled the number of countries to 44, by releasing the iPhone 3G to an additional 22 nations. Most of the countries involved in the second stage of expansion included numerous South and Central American and Eastern European nations.
For a comprehensive view of the iPhone’s global domination, don’t forget to check out our dynamic iPhone Carrier World Map.
[via AppleInsider]
