iPhone 3G is ringing up huge orders

SHOPS taking advance orders of the new iPhone 3G have sold out ahead of Friday's launch.

Carphone Warehouse and O2 have both stopped taking advance orders of the gadget, which combines the features of an iPod, mobile phone and internet browser. But stock will still go on sale in stores on Friday. And such was the extent of the rush to pre-order the new model, the O2 website crashed. Carphone Warehouse said orders for the new model have increased ten-fold compared to the original.

And Ronan Dunne, UK chief executive of O2, the only network that the device will be available on in the UK, said: "We've never seen any mobile device create the excitement and demand of the iPhone 3G."

The new version is being offered free, for the first time, to O2 customers who sign up to tariffs costing between £59 and £75 a month.