O2 reports 8,000 activations in one day

Apple's exclusive wireless carrier in the UK, O2, received more than 8,000 iPhone activations during the first day after the cellular handset hit store shelves. An inside source cited by Ars Technica says the initial number of activations is several times higher than the company initially predicted for the iPhone's opening day, which coincides with reports that iPhones flew off shelves in the UK on launch day. What's more, the unnamed O2 source also says the carrier's exclusive contract with Apple spans five years, and that Apple sees 3G iPhones arriving "very late next year" as a result of power management issues as well as chipset size limitations.

O2 CEO Peter Erskine has said the iPhone the fastest-selling device the company has ever seen, and cited sales already numbering in the "tens of thousands" since last Friday when Apple's handset found its way into the hands of UK customers. Estimates see more than 400,000 iPhone sales during the forthcoming holiday shopping season, and one prediction suggets as many as 70,000 iPhones were already purchased by UK consumers.

More than 1 million iPhones sold in the U.S. during the first quarter of availability, according to Apple's September quarterly financial results. Eager shoppers began lining up as early as a week in advance to ensure they would be one of the first customers to purchase the multitouch-enabled device, camping outside Apple and AT&T stores for days before finally shelling out $500-$600 each for their new cellular phones.

The iPhone shattered AT&T's sales record just after launch in the U.S., dwarfing the Motorola RAZR phone in spades with regard to initial sales figures while demand for the device continued to rise. One owner even blended an iPhone in a YouTube video as part of a demonstration touting the resilience of his product, auctioning the iPhone remains on eBay for more than $570.

Filed under: iPod