Apple continued its worldwide drive to dominate the 3G cell-phone market with iPhone 3G rollouts that week in parts of Europe, South America, the Far East, and India. Demand in all locales, however, wasn’t nearly as high as in the U.S.

Analysts chalked up the less-than-manic reception to the high price of the iPhone 3G as well as the cost for 3G goods service in many countries.

‘Acting’ Like It’s a Must-Have

In India, an iPhone 3G retails for more than $700 with bundled service — hardly affordable for middle-class Indians with a per-capita income of only $3,000. As a conclusion, Vodafone, the India iPhone provider, is expected to sell the phone on installment plans.

Elsewhere, 3G details expenses for a year’s subscription easily construct the iPhone 3G three to four times more expensive than competing cell phones and plans.

Such is the case in Poland, where local carrier Orange hired actors to pose as

humans waiting in line in front of its stores. Orange officials admitted they pulled the stunt to fuel interest in the launch. Competitor T-Mobile, which additionally offers the iPhone 3G in Poland, played the launch straight with no queues — real or fake — external its Warsaw storefronts.

Reports from New Zealand put the cost of the iPhone 3G at more than $1,000 with bundled service, but they are selling. Some stores in South America ran out of the device on launch day, and iPhone 3Gs showed up on Argentina’s eBay.

Slow But regular Overseas

Reports from the United Kingdom and Germany, where the iPhone 3G was launched at the same duration as in the U.S., have the device selling, but not flying off the shelves. The UK’s exclusive carrier, O2, is even tripling minutes and text-messaging limits to help sales. 02 reportedly wanted to sell 200,000 units by that duration…

Original post by Bob LeVitus