Radio Shack will soon become the second-largest third-party retailer of Apple's iPhone by storefronts when it launches a front-page promotion to celebrate the rollout of the touchscreen handset to thousands of its shops nationwide, according to an "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) report.

Starting March 28, the specialty electronics retailer will offer the iPhone in 3,000 of its 4,500 stores in the US, "completing a first-phase expansion that will see it leapfrog both AT&T and Best Buy in terms of the number of brick-and-mortar retail locations that will stock the device for walk-in activations, but not necessarily in terms of volume sales," the article says. Only big-box retailer Walmart will offer the device in more stores.

"AppleInsider" says Radio Shack plans to promote the iPhone on the cover of its March 28 circular, at what it claims are the lowest prices ever offered for the touchscreen handset nationwide -- essentially US$5 off the manufacturer's suggested retail pricing across the board, or $95 for the 8GB iPhone 3G, $195 for the 16GB iPhone 3GS, and $295 for the 32GB iPhone 3GS.