setteB.IT international sources have reported that the Apple iPhone 3G may need a two-step process when activating, double activation is surely a pain in the backside.

Apparently the first will be the carrier activation which will be done in stores or in the carrier’s partner stores exclusively, the second activation will be required by the App Store via iTunes using of course the iTunes Store account, this activation must be done using Windows or Mac. The Italian site that we came across is reporting this so we are not entirely in the know on this news, the reason to involve the App Store and iTunes, because of special billing information needed to download software.

Apple iPhone 3G owners will indeed be able to buy and then download programs through mobile broadband as well as your local connections, even though a size limit will be imposed on HSPA transfers. If this is all confirmed this would mean the plan would somehow contrast a lot with that for the original iPhone, of course under which people were able to buy and Apple iPhone and then take it home. The previous iPhone was bought from a store then taken home and activated when ever we wanted to do it through iTunes, Apple of course were pretty ticked off/frustrated by the amount of consumers buying the iPhone and then unlocking them for an unofficial carrier, yes you got it Money loss for Apple. So a two-step activation process may eliminate unlocking phones (Yeah right that will never happen) some bright spark will always be on the ball.

Source — In English — In Italian