San Francisco  - Amid the kind of hype possible only for a new Apple product, the latest Apple iPhone is hitting stores Friday with reviews that say the iconic communications device mostly meets its high expectations.

Stores in some 20 countries were opening their doors at 8am local time on July 11 to customers eager for the device. Lines were reported in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and across cities in the US. The lines are expected to move slowly as carriers perform credit checks and unlock phones on site in a process that Apple hopes will only take 15 minutes per customer.

The iPhone 3G is hitting stores a year after the launch of the original iPhone sparked a wave of hysteria among gadget junkies and announced Apple as a major player in the market for smartphones previously ruled by Nokia, the Rim Blackbery, Samsung and LG.

Apple has sold an estimated 6 million of the original iPhones before running out in May. In the US an 8-gigabyte model is selling for 199 dollars, or a 16-gigabyte version for
299 dollars from Apple or AT&T, the exclusive US wireless partner. The phone comes in black or white and requires the activation of a two year service contract with a minimum monthly charge of 70 dollars a month.

The main upgrade in the new phones is that they run on so-called 3G networks which are much faster for data download and internet surfing than the Edge networks used by the original iPhone. It also features a GPS location device.

However the battery life has also been compromised by use of the 3G network and often requires daily recharging. "If you've been waiting to buy an iPhone until it dropped in price, or ran on faster cell networks, you might want to take the plunge, if you can live with the higher service costs and the weaker battery life," said Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, the doyen of gadget reviewers. "The same goes for those with existing iPhones who love the device but crave faster cellular data speeds. But if you already own an iPhone, and can usually use Wi-Fi for data, you probably should hold off and get the free software upgrade before deciding whether it's worth getting the new hardware."

Other reviewers pointed out that the software upgrade and outside applications launched in conjunction with the iPhone 3G are also available with the older iterations of the phone. "If you already own an iPhone, download the upgrade software. Otherwise, ignore the hype, skip the long lines, and enjoy the weekend. That's what I'll be doing," said Dan Costa of PC Magazine. (dpa)