Jobs Launches Apple 3G iPhone for $199

Apple will begin shipping 3G iPhones in 22 countries on July 11, Jobs told the audience of the company's World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco.

Jobs also announced that Apple was dropping the price of the 3G iPhone to $199 for the 8 GB model and $299 for the 16 GB model, which will also be available, like Apple's iPod Classic, in white.

In addition to 3G network capabilities that transmit data faster than the currently used EDGE network, Jobs announced that the next-generation iPhone will have built-in GPS functionality. "Using the GPS data we can actually do tracking," Jobs told the audience during his presentation.

There were five requests on the iPhone users' wish list, and Jobs laid them out, addressing each. On the list were: 3G network support, enterprise support, third party application support, availability in more countries and affordability.

"We've sold iPhones in six countries so far, but believe me they're in use in many all over the world. It's clear there is a demand for iPhones in many more countries," Jobs said. Initially, Apple hoped to have the iPhone in 25 countries in the coming months, however, the company has 70 on its list already, Jobs said.

Jobs also announced that the iPhone's next software release, iPhone software 2.0, will have enterprise support and users will be able to access Microsoft Exchange email, a feature that had been lacking in the first generation iPhone.

Apple has also added several languages to the iPhone in its next release, including two Japanese and two Chinese forms. Users can input Chinese characters in one mode by drawing them on the screen.

Apple also announced that third party applications would be distributed through the App Store starting next month, and that enterprises had the ability to distribute software ad hoc for up to 100 iPhones.

In addition to the forthcoming SDK and the new features of the iPhone 2.0 software, Apple launched MobileMe, a wireless syncing service that allows users to update information across multiple devices whenever they make changes on one. For example, if an iPhone user changed a contact number on the iPhone, the system will update that information wirelessly to the users other accounts and devices.

Apple also announced an update to its Mac OS X Leopard operating system.