What a difference 18 months makes, eh? The relative short line for today's iPhone 3G S launch at Apple's flagship Regent Street store in London could be attributed to any number of factors: the economy, the steep cost of upgrade for iPhone 3G owners, or the fact that Apple allowed for advanced iPhone 3G S orders with home delivery. Or maybe people just aren't willing to wait in line for a bump in speed, improved graphics, and video recording. We wouldn't call it apathy but the iPhone halo doesn't seem as shiny beneath a spotlight now shared with Android and the new Pre. Regardless, the iPhone 3G S is now on sale in the UK and a few more European countries with North America up next after a few degrees of the Earth's rotation.

Update: According to O2, sales for the 3G S have already surpassed numbers for the iPhone 3G during last year's launch. Looks like pre-orders were in full effect here.

[images courtesy of Richard Lai and mrgeoffb]

We already know that Nokia is sending N97s far and wide this month, but now we have an exact date for its UK debut. Turns out that the company's Regent Street flagship store in London will get first dibs, hawking unlocked, unbranded N97s to all comers on June 18 for £499 (about $821) -- a princely sum that easily blows past the US MSRP of $699. Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, and 3 all follow a week later on June 26, ensuring that the ultra-early adopters will be paying through the nose for a few days before the subsidized sets show up. What the 19th date means for availability in other countries is unclear, but as you can imagine, we'll be pounding on the doors of the US flagships until we get some answers.