THE nail-biting wait for diehard fans of the Apple iPhone 3G is nearly over.

The device will go on sale on Friday next week, according to SingTel - the first telco to offer the phone here.

But there are still plenty of mysteries associated with the launch. Prospective buyers have to wait to learn the price, the details of the subscription plan they will need to sign with SingTel, and the number of handsets it will bring in.

First dibs will go to the tens of thousands of iPhone fans who have already made online reservations at SingTel's website, said the telco's Singapore chief executive Allen Lew yesterday.

SingTel will keep taking reservations for the phone - which will be available in both the 8GB and 16GB versions - till this Sunday. Customers can expect the iPhone's price to be subsidised, he said.

This could mean iPhone buyers paying a lower price if they sign up for a pricey plan or take up a longer term contract with the telco.

The main features of the iPhone are its high-speed 3G wireless data access and sleek touch-screen interface. The device has garnered largely positive reviews since its debut last month.

Recently though, complaints have begun surfacing on technology websites that its glossy case is prone to cracking.

Its MobileMe subscription-based e-mail and online storage service has also been hit by bugs, a problem acknowledged by Apple head honcho Steve Jobs.

SingTel announced the date of the product launch at its first-quarter financial results briefing yesterday.

It reported weaker-than-expected results with net profits falling 5.3 per cent to $878 million for the period ended June 30. Revenues were up 5.9 per cent to $3.78 billion. Earnings per share were 5.52 cents, down from 5.83 cents.

The region's No. 1 telco had taken a hit from the Singdollar's appreciation against regional currencies, said group chief executive Chua Sock Koong.

About half of SingTel's revenues come from its regional associates such as India's Bharti and Indonesia's Telkomsel. The Indian rupee had fallen 15 per cent, and the Indonesian rupiah 13 per cent, against the Singapore dollar in the quarter. Excluding currency fluctuations, SingTel would have reported a 1 per cent rise in net profits.

This was the first time in 13 quarters that earnings from its regional associates had dipped. Yesterday, SingTel also amended its earlier forecast of 'double- digit' growth from its regional associates to 'low double-digit' growth.

At home, mobile number portability, took its toll. Marketing, customer acquisition and retention costs, and other sales-related expenses shot up 38.9 per cent to $203 million.

Citi Investment Research's Anand Ramachandran, in an analyst note published after the results were released, said SingTel, while a low-risk share to hold in the current volatile climate, 'needs a growth boost'. He kept his 'hold' rating, with a price target of $4.

SingTel shares closed at $3.52, down six cents.

chuahh@sph.com.sg