[Off-topic] CmdKewin:
Uhm, well... I'm wouldn't be so sure...

Let's do a quick comparison (for Switzerland):

HTC Diamond

Without Contract: 899 Chf. -> 873.206 $

Swisscom 24 Month Contract @ 49 Chf./Month (48 $/Month): 499 Chf. -> 484 $

Orange (my current operator) does not supply it, as is Sunrise (third national operator)

No 12 Month Contract Option

Add to that about 200 $ for the Touch Pro: I'm basing this on the difference there was between the Prophet and my Hermes, when I got it 2 years ago.

iPhone 3g Swisscom

Not sold without contract (yet, Swiss law demands it, the are not advertising it anywhere tough)

Swisscom 24 Month Contract: monthly fee ranging from 25 Chf (24$) to 55 Chf (56$) per month.

Cost of the phone (varies from monthly fee, ranging from "more fee" to "less fee")

8 gb -> from 99 Chf. (95$) to 249.00 Chf. (241.856$)

16 gb -> from 199 Chf. (193.290$) to 349.00 Chf. (338.986$)

No 12 month plan.

No free minutes, calls cost from 0.50 chf/per hour.

No free sms (0.20 per message)

1GB/month UMTS/GPRS Traffic included

Free access on more than 45'000 WIFI Hotspots worldwide (around 1500 in Switzerland)

Reference: http://iphone3g.swisscom.chswis/?page=1&lang=en

iPhone 3g Orange

Without Contract: 8gb 759 Chf. -> 737.222 $ / 16gb 899 Chf. -> 873.206 $

Orange 24 Month Contract: monthly fee ranging from 44 Chf (42.73$) to 99 Chf (96$) per month

Cost of the phone (varies from monthly fee, ranging from "more fee" to "less fee")

8 gb -> from 99 Chf. (95$) to 199.00 Chf. (193.290$)

16 gb -> from 149 Chf. (144.725$) to 249.00 Chf. (241.856$)

Add 100 Chf. (97$) to the above for the 12 month contract type.

The 96$/month contract as free and unlimited calls on all Orange and swiss fixed net (24/7)

and a 0.30 Chf/hour rate on all others (international calls included)

50 free sms per month

1GB/month UMTS/GPRS Traffic included

100 minutes of WIFI traffic/month, on more than 45'000 WIFI Hotspots worldwide (around 1500 in Switzerland)

Reference: http://d182134.tmp55.swisscenter.com/#prices_en

So, that's for the facts. Now, about MY current situation.

I've owned a winmo device for the past two years, an Hermes bought at a discounted price (around 300$ dollars) with a new 24 month contract.

That 300$ was not the actual price (that was about double with new contracts): I got is so low because I was part of a special Orange Switzerland "premium bonus pack whatever", so I can get further discounts (I've been with Orange since 2001).

Now, my contract is expiring next month, so I'm due for a renewal. I really REALLY want to get a new HTC device, because I've had such a wonderful experience.

But:

1. The HTC Diamond is extremely hard to find in shops, only importers (at an outrageous overprice, around 800$, WAY to much) have stocks. There was only one I was able to find, but they wouldn't make a price because it was just there for display and because nobody actually knows.

2. The HTC Touch Pro (which is my favourite choice, screw i900 and X1) has no release date set yet (and, from the looks of it, not before 2009).

3. I NEED a new phone: my hermes fell down a few months ago and is not working properly anymore. Battery doesn't last more than one cal, Touchscreen is broken (tried to get a new one, but the chinese ebay guy never sent it), Camera flash broken, ...

That, summed with the prices above is THE reason that made me wake up earlier than usual this morning and be second "in line" for getting an iPhone.

p.s. I didn't actually get it: I did a reservation for the device about a month ago, but directly from the Shop. Apple "enforced" a "internet reservations first" policy on Swiss operators... So I was a bit pissed off. Nothing serious tough. I can wait.