iPhone 3G: Thou Shalt Covet

The long-anticipated 3G version of Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone is still well over a week away from market, but already its promise of speedier data services, rich mobile-application platform and drastically lower retail price is driving early adopters mad with desire.

Indeed, a new survey of 3,600 RBC Technology Adoption Panel members showed that 56% of those planning to purchase a smart phone in the next 3 months will buy an iPhone 3G. That’s more than double the 23% that plans to buy a BlackBerry. And it’s nearly 19 times the number that plans to buy a device from the much-diminished Palm. This sort of pent-up demand is unprecedented, notes RBC analyst Mike Abramsky, who expects Apple to ship 14 million iPhones in 2008 and 24 million in 2009.

[Image credit: Nick Anderson]