Over the last few weeks there’s an excitement in the air, and much of that is due to the imminent global launch of the iPhone 3G. Not much else needs be said about this device really so I won’t do an intro here, even my mum know about it.

What most people in the rest of the world might not realise though, New Zealanders are the first in the world to get the OPPORTUNITY to get their hands on one of these things, with the international date line drawn on our immediate right and everything. Yeah, we’re like that kid in class whose first name and last name all starts with ‘A’, and gets called by the teacher first, all the time, every time.

I write “OPPORTUNITY” in caps in the previous paragraph for a pretty simple reason. It was almost a certainty that most people I know (that have spare cash) will get an iPhone, knowing that it only costs NZ$199 + a 2 year contract. At this point all the people fingering their wallet are only looking for that NZ$199. But that is not to be. The 2 year contract ties the user to pay NZ$250 per month, so that’s $6000 over the 2 year period. You win again, Universe. From the “now-let-me-get-my-cheque-book” to the puppy-watery-eyes-staring-through-the-shop-window-at-the-price-tag, the certainty now becomes a mere option. A bank-breaking luxury option at that.

This is the worst deal IN THE WORLD for consumers that wants to get their hands on an iPhone, accroding to John Campbell when he’s grilling the marketing guy from Vodafone. But then again, this can change if they starts selling iPhones in Zimbabwe.

All and all, this is pretty bad PR for Vodafone NZ I must say, the kind that someone will get fired from. Multiple someones.

I know at least I would rather buy a few MacBooks than an iPhone now; I guess this is one way to boost MacBook sales…

Very much looking forward to someone come in and save us from this monopoly. Maybe the original monopoly, NZ Telecom?!