ell, that took long enough. The highly anticipated 3G Apple iPhone is ready to hit Canadian shores. After waiting more than a year for it, Apple's upcoming 3G iPhone will finally be available through Rogers Wireless stores Apple stores, online or at cell phone kiosks.

The news was welcomed by industry observers, who have been eager to get one of the much-hyped smartphones for over 18 months. The phones from Cupertino-based Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) have previously been difficult to get hold of in this country – buying one has meant crossing the border to purchase an unlocked one, and poor service has also been reported by those lucky enough to get their hands on the phones.

Apple has promised that things will be a lot easier from now on.

Speaking on stage at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, company's chief executive Steve Jobs was his animated self as he unveiled the company's next-gen iPhone, with 3G features, faster Internet speeds and built-in GPS capabilities.

Over six million iPhones have already been sold around the world.

"Just one year after launching the iPhone, we're launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price,'' Jobs said on stage at the conference.

"We did figure out what our next challenges are, the next mountain we have to climb," Jobs said. "The number one reason people didn't buy the iPhone was that they couldn't afford it, so we need to make the iPhone more affordable."

The new 3G model will start at $199 for an 8GB model and $299 for a 16GB model, cutting the price in half and loading the phone with powerful new third-party applications intended to boost sales.

Those apps include built-in GPS, MobileMe Apples new Internet service, and 2.0 software with support for Microsoft Exchange Active Sync – clearly added in order to compete head on with RIM's BlackBerry and Nokia in the battle for the lucrative "smartphone" market.

On a relentless drive to become the No. 1 cellphone supplier in the world, Apple said the company's next-gen iPhone be available in more than 70 countries later this year. But it will take a while for Apple to actually achieve this as RIM's BlackBerry is in a fairly solid position.

Still, Apple's MobileMe, a new Internet service offering a suite of programs based on Ajax, is a competitive edge. If you get an email to your MobileMe account, it’ll be shuttled to all three devices - iPhone, Mac and PC. You can upload photos to the account and see them online.

“We’re excited to be working with Rogers to bring iPhone 3G to Canada,” says Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “We can’t wait to get this revolutionary phone in the hands of even more people around the world.” The 3G iPhone will roll out on July 11, 2008, and will sell in the Canada for $199 for the 8 GB model, and US$299 for the 16 GB model.

The price could fall lower if a customer signs up for a multi-year contract. First generation iPhones started with a $599 US price tag and now sells for $399 US. Canadians desperate for a piece of technological wizardry had been known to pay over $1,000.00.

In the U.S., the phone has already captured more than 20 per cent of the market. – SLN, NewsExtensions.com