As I predicted before WWDC, it is very possible that Apple will soon be replacing the 8GB iPhone 3G in favor of an 8GB iPhone 3GS. At least based on a recent findings by Gizmodo.
Rumors have been brewing for a while but Gizmodo was recently sent an image of “Sales Central,” Rogers’ internal website, depicting an 8GB iPhone 3GS.
The Rogers employee added this when sending the image:
I think that when 3G stock runs out they are going to build 99$ 3GSs since those are the parts they are ordering, might as well keep the parts list minimal…
A former Rogers employee also added the following:
Being a former Rogers employee I can say that this is enough evidence to say that 8GB 3GS is coming for sure. Sales Central is the interal website that all staff use and it’s never been wrong. Hardware actually pop up on the site all the time and they have all materialized. It used to be a natural hint when we see something we don’t recognize on it and know that it is new hardware that will be shipping soon.
Not only did selling the iPhone 3G for $99 help Apple clear out old supply but it also helped get the device into the hands of even more consumers. Updating the $99 offering to the iPhone 3GS shows that Apple wants everyone to upgrade to the latest hardware, not just because they want to sell more units but because they want everyone on the same page in regards to hardware capabilities.
Update 8/13/09: The Boy Genius Report claims to have been in contact with “several Rogers dealers who have confirmed references to an 8GB 3GS coming and going from the system quite often in the past week.”