At a special event being held in Cupertino next Tuesday, Apple will show off iPhone 3.0 and the software development kit that goes with it.

The news suggests Apple is continuing with its annual iPhone rollout programme, with the new OS debuting in June/July on or after Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

Apple hasn’t hinted at the features the new release will add – top of most users’ lists will be SMS forwarding and the provision of cut and paste facilities – still absent from the current version of the OS, 2.2.1.

It’s entirely possible that Apple will launch new iPhone hardware to go with the update, whatever it contains. The company has scorned speculation that’s it’s working on a small-size iPhone, unofficially dubbed the iPhone Nano. Who do you believe – Apple or the Chinese companies claiming to have accessories for the phone in the works?

What is clear is that with the arrival of Google’s Android, the upcoming Windows 7 revamp of Windows Mobile, Palm’s hoped-for revival on the back of its Pré handset and Web OS software, and World+Dog launching iTunes-style application stores for their devices, Apple needs to continue to work hard to maintain the iPhone’s momentum.

Apple usually keeps its cards close to its chest but this time last year revealed some of the enterprise-oriented technologies it was planning to add to iPhone OS 2.0. Next week’s unveiling suggests it now sees this kind of event as a permanent fixture.

Apple typically takes the stage at MacWorld to roll out its newest products for the year. In 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs first unveiled the original iPhone and offered more details of the Apple TV. Last year, Jobs introduced the MacBook Air and the Time Capsule device. In addition to the rumored iPhone nano, there have been hints that Apple is prepping a low-cost netbook.

Not every analyst is convinced that Apple has something up its sleeve for its final MacWorld Expo appearance. Shaw Wu, analyst with Kaufman Bros., expects no big surprises this year, citing Apple’s decision to have Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, deliver the Jan. 6 keynote speech instead of Jobs.

It also confirmed that the 16 GB version had already sold out online.

The website for new or existing O2 customers to get their hands on the latest Apple iPhone with 3G connectivity when it is launched in the UK this Friday went live at 8am on Monday.

An O2 spokeswoman told IT PRO she did not have any figures on how many customers successfully registered an order before “the site was not able to cope with the exceedingly high demand.”

“Although we were prepared for high demand, we’re working to get the site back up as soon as possible,” she added.

But she also echoed the “temporarily unavailable” notice currently greeting those eager to buy or upgrade to the new iPhone through the O2 online shop by recommending they get down to their nearest O2 store early from 8.02am this Friday 11 June.

O2 has split its 3G iPhone stock evenly between its stores and web shop. But it maintains it will be able to meet demand in-store on Friday.

Firstly, the long awaited iPhone 3G will finally make its way into the grubby paws of the eagerly waiting techno hordes.

Secondly, the device will feature Apple’s shiny new 2.0 software, which the company promises will turn the iPhone into a fully fledged business device, complete with Microsoft Exchange support and full compliancy with corporate security requirements.

And thirdly, the App store is arriving, so owners will be able to purchase nifty new, Apple-approved software direct to their handset.

The buzz certainly seems to have started, with reports that the pre-order site on the UK O2 web site went down on Monday morning under the pressure of pre-orders. By the time people were able to get through, all they got was an ‘out-of-stock’ message.

Meanwhile over in New York, where they have a tendency to take things just that little bit further, there is already a group of people waiting in line outside the Apple Store.

Initially, it seemed the group simply wanted to break the world record for waiting in line to buy a product, though afterwards it turned out they were a publicity seeking environmental collective who wanted to use the hype to promote an ‘agrico-political’ agenda – hippies, I think they used to be called.

Anyone who has already registered their interest in the iPhone with O2, will be notified soon with details of how they can place an order. Again O2 is prepared for demand to outstrip supply; orders will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis.

According to RBC Capital Markets, demand for the 3G iPhone is “unprecedented”, with 56% of those who plan to buy a smartphone opting for the Apple handset. A further 25% suggested that they were not averse to buying one sometime in the future. Both figures increased sharply from RBC’s March survey, conducted before the 3G iPhone was unveiled.

Apple has taken delivery of 188 shipping containers of a product type never before declared on its transport documents. ImportGenius, a website that tracks US Customs’ records of ocean containers entering US ports, says that that containers have been arriving since mid-March, labelled “electric computers”.

ImportGenius’ Ryan Petersen said that the new label suggests that Apple is gathering supplies of the rumoured 3G iPhone, which Apple chief executive SteveJobs is widely expected to unveil next month.

“They have never before reported this product on their customs declarations,” said Petersen in a post on the ImportGenius blog. “The fact that they are importing millions of units, combined with dwindling stocks of the first generation of iPhones, clearly supports the … predictions.”

He adds that overer the last few months shipments of “desktop computers” and other devices have not declined, indicating that the “electric computers” represent a new product for the company rather than a simple renaming for their Customs declarations.

The 8GB iPhone will now cost £169, but the newer 16GB model will not receive a price cut.

O2 confirmed speculation that it would follow German carrier T-Mobile, which announced last week that it will drop the price for the 8GB iPhone to €99.

O2 has already reduced the cost of owning an iPhone by overhauling its tariff structure to allow users more voice minutes and text messages.

The news follows rumours of a possible 3G iPhone coming this summer. The cuts have added to speculation that suppliers are clearing out stock in anticipation of a new release.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said last year that the company is working on a 3G version of the iPhone scheduled for release in 2008.

At the time, Jobs listed battery life as the main hurdle facing the development of a 3G iPhone.

Nothing more exciting than that, except it’s another fairly hefty download for anyone keeping up-to-date with the latest software — 1.37GB in fact.

Link: iPhone Developer Page

Scott Craig also stated that the production volume is expected to be much higher than they had originally estimated. Production in May is expected to be more than three million products with an even higher production of eight million coming in the third quarter. The previous estimate was eight million for the entire production of iPhones in 2008.

Apple has a target for 2008 of ten millions iPhones for the year. This new and highly anticipated version could definitely help them to meet this goal. As of January, Apple has confirmed that it has sold four million iPhones. Adding the new 3G technology will be a nice and refreshing addition according to Michael Gartenberg, analyst with Jupiter Research. He also wonders what third-party developers may do with the additional bandwidth that they have not already covered with the AT&T Edge.

The faster bandwidth on the new iPhone 3G version is expected to give users a much more reliable access to websites that contain media rich properties. It may also allow developers to create applications that typically require high speed internet connections.

Microsoft Exchange support is also being looked into for the new iPhone. This will allow users to send Microsoft Office documents as attachments. This will help the iPhone to be more useful for business users who need the ability to exchange large file sizes. It will also make the iPhone more competitive in Europe and other countries where the 3G technology is more common than in the United States.