Millions of 3G iPhone Units in Place Pending Rumoured 9 June Launch

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Rumours that Apple’s new 3G iPhone is indeed set for a 9 June launch, as is widely speculated, have been further fuelled by a detailed report published by Forbes which serves to bring together numerous sightings of mysterious shipments to various ports in the US as well as a marked increase in Steve Job’s private jet expenses as he purportedly finalises deals with distribution partners.

It has been widely reported that a series of mysterious shipments began taking place in mid-March, with 20 containers arriving at the Port of Oakland, California, prior to being whisked off to a distribution centre some 27 miles away in Fremont with further shipments following on March 27, March 28 and May 6 – the latter date coinciding with an AT&T internal memo (which was duly leaked) informing AT&T staff that vacations between June 15 and July 12 were to be suspended. This all followed a marked increase in Steve Job’s use of his private jet during the first quarter of 2007 (with related expenses rising from $203,000 to $550,000) which is rumoured to have been occasioned as Jobs set about finalising distribution deals concerning Apple’s new 3G iPhone (of which Apple are on record as expecting to sell 10 million units within the first year of its availability) with various suppliers and network operators across the globe.

NYK Delphinus

Acting to further fuel speculation that June 9 is indeed the day that Job’s will launch the 3G iPhone is the latest report of yet another shipment arriving, this time at the Port of New York on May 17 aboard the Panamanian registered vessel, NYK Delphinus.

Of course, at the time or writing, June 9 is well and truly looming and its only then that’ll we’ll be able to establish whether all the speculation concerning Apple’s new 3G iPhone has indeed proved correct but few would bet against the rumours proving wholly founded, including us.

[Forbes]