The iPhone 3G is the first followup to arguably one of the most buzzed about products of all-time, the original iPhone. Released on July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G fills in some gaps left open by the original iPhone, including eliminating the needlessly recessed headphone / headset jack in favor of a flush-mounted jack. Critics of the original iPhone's sluggish data performance will take note of the iPhone 3G's much-improved data connection speeds through UMTS and HSDPA compatibility.

New to the line is the addition of a GPS receiver, allowing the device's built-in Google Maps application more accurate positioning data, a 16 GB version available in black or white (the 8 GB version is only available in black) and a plastic-backed enclosure.

On July 19th, 2009, the iPhone 3GS was released by Apple, replacing the iPhone 3G as Apple's top of the line iPhone, however, the 8 GB iPhone 3G remained available for a reduced price of only $99.

Both the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G are available exclusively on AT&T in the United States. They have been exclusive to O2 in the United Kingdom, but Orange UK has announced that it will become the first competing network to also carry the iPhone. The Orange release will occur sometime before the end of the year. Vodafone has also announced plans to offer the 3G and the 3GS in the UK and Ireland, but it won't launch the devices on its network until early 2010.

Rogers had iPhone exclusivity in Canada, but Apple has announced that Bell will sell the iPhone there too starting in November. A few days after the Bell news, Telus announced that it would carry the iPhone as well. Point is, exclusivity deals are falling down all over the place. No word on when that might happen in the U.S — yet.