iPhone 3GS is sold out down under as US marketshare explodes

While Russia may have problems shifting its iPhones, it’s no way the same Down Under in Australia, where reports this week state the iPhone 3GS is selling out.

See, seems none of the iPhone-selling carriers in Australia have any iPhones left to sell, and even Apple’s own online shop can only promise to get your iPhone 3GS to you after a week’s wait.

In Australia, Telstra’s online store says: “Please Note: There is currently a global shortage of iPhone models, and we are out of stock of some models. Register here to receive email notification once we have new stock.”

3Mobile, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin Mobile all report the same problems, promising that fresh supplies of Apple’s must-have handheld will reach them in mid-August. This news shows that, at least this soon after launch, demand for the iPhone 3GS in Oz continues to outstrip supply.

No surprise then that a pair of analyst reports released yesterday show Apple’s grabbing an armful of customers with its new device. Bernstein Research has published a report claiming that iPhone now accounts for 8% of all mobile revenue, and 32% of the mobile industry”s handset profits.

And a second report from IDC claims the iPhone 3GS to be the second most popular handset sold in this year’s second quarter, eclipsed only by the BlackBerry Curve.

Here’s America’s top ten iPhones for your visual delectation and delight (according to IDC’s estimates). Note the number four position also belongs to Cupertino.

1. BlackBerry Curve
2. iPhone 3GS
3. BlackBerry Pearl
4. iPhone 3G
5. BlackBerry Bold
6. BlackBerry Storm
7. HTC T-Mobile G1
8. Palm Pre
9. HTC Touch Pro
10. HTC Touch Diamond

(One remark though – with the iPhone 3GS not making its debut until June, we confess to some bafflement as to how it could top the Q2 sales chart, when June is the last month of the second quarter – presumably this means the Curve’s days at the top of the tree could be numbered?)