Rumored Release Date Ratchets iPhone Buzz

Though a developer-focused conference may not be the best venue to announce a consumer product, Apple's Steve Jobs has been known to use the conference as a new product launch pad, and it's highly likely Jobs himself wants to be the guy to tell the world the iPhone is available.

Apple isn't commenting on specific release dates, Mark Siegel, executive director of media and analyst relations for AT&T Mobility, told MacNewsWorld.

A Cingular customer service manager confirmed that the release date will be June 11, according to CNET Thursday; however, a call to Cingular customer service by MacNewsWorld did not yield a firm June 11 date.

A Cingular customer service sales rep noted that it would be available in June, but "her screen" didn't have an exact date.

How to Get the iPhone

If one is currently a Cingular wireless customer and is eligible for a phone upgrade -- which means the bills are paid and the previous contract is completed -- one can qualify to buy the phone at a discounted price if the contract is renewed.

Contracts can be renewed for one or two years, both of which will earn the buyer "a substantial discount" on the iPhone. Cingular, however, could not confirm the amount of the discount.

Customers will also be able to simply buy the phone at full retail cost, either over the phone, online, or at a Cingluar-AT&T retail outlet. The 4 GB model iPhone is US$499 and the 8 GB is $599, Cingular confirmed. After purchasing, one would then need to call Cingular to activate the iPhone.

Pent Up Demand

"There will be shortages at first," Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told MacNewsWorld. "Like a lot of products, this one is expected to have teething problems and so, if you really need your phone, you may want to hang on to your old one."

The steep price should moderate demand relatively quickly, Enderle added. By August, he expects a pricing action to bring the product's cost in line with other phones in its class. There appears to be a lot of margin for the iPhone, Enderle noted.

"Much like it is with the game consoles, the sooner you preorder, the more likely it will be that you'll have one of these before August," he added.

Though he agrees there is a lot of pent-up demand for the iPhone, Forrester analyst Charles Golvin has a slightly different take.

"When Apple releases new products -- for example, the iPod nano -- I'm hard pressed to remember a case where there was issues around availability," Golvin told MacNewsWorld. "Granted, this is a more complex product than an iPod, and one that they have less experience manufacturing, but from Apple's side I would be surprised at product delays."

Golvin also said that one of the things many people lose track of when they talk about the price of the iPhone is that the widely successful Motorola (NYSE: MOT) RAZR phone entered the market around $400.

"The RAZR, I believe, is the most successful cell phone product ever. And now, even though you can get them for $50, Cingular was able to hold that higher price point for quite awhile," he explained.

Preorders Possible?

As of right now, according to the Cingular customer service rep, you can't preorder the phone. You can, however, enter your e-mail address in an online form at Cingular's Web site in order to get on an availability notification list.

No matter what, when June 11 rolls around, iPhone enthusiasts who haven't even seen a real one in person yet will be paying attention. Those who doesn't care about the iPhone might want to pay attention, too.

"There will likely be a number of competitive specials from others positioning against the iPhone, so June will be a good time to buy a new phone whether you get an iPhone or not," Enderle noted. "In other words, even if you don't want an iPhone, you may end up getting a new phone thanks to Apple."