So the latest Apple rumour is solidifying nicely; the second-generation 3G version of the iPhone (as suitably implied by the lack of replacement 2G stock in mobile stores) will be launched during the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco from June 9.
Photo by oskay on Flickr. Some rights reserved.
Gizmodo predicts the phone will be available straight after the launch and that new versions could be priced differently for different markets - the kind of anti-uniformity that keeps Apple execs awake at night.
Whatever you make of the hype, the iPhone has given the mobile operators and the handset manufacturers a real belt up the backside, and it's rather damning that it took a company outside the established mobile players to come up with something truly market changing and innovative.
Apple is a master at consumer technology but also, unfortunately, a master at wringing every last penny from its loyal fans. That means we can expect every minute possible incremental improvement on the iPhone to be rolled out with subsequent releases, rather than giant steps.
