Before you vote, I did a little bit of research here and some neutral rationale for each release date.
Read on...
June 11/12 (Monday or Tuesday)
Sources:
Credibility:
BGR reports a couple AT&T posters have mentioned the April 11 date; Jobs Keynote at WWDC is June 11; why not announce immediate or Tuesday (typical Apple release date) availability? Jobs could easily segue into (or out of) how developers will be able to make applications for the phone, etc.
However, Apple is very good at creating a buzz for new products. Jobs could just as easily announce the official launch date for the phone, creating even more buzz to follow than an immediate release would.
June 15 (Friday)
Credibility:
The AT&T Corporate Memo mentions employees won't be able to take off after June 15 or before July 15. That's a pretty big window, implying AT&T doesn't really want to reveal the official release date. What gives it credibility is June 15 is incredibly close to the keynote, perhaps being able to pre-order online, with AT&T brick and mortar stores receiving theirs in shortly thereafter on Friday for the "official" release.
MailTank announces in their press release their product is ready for release when the iPhone will hit shelves: June 15. Are they just speculating like the rest of us or do they know something we don't?
June 20 (Wednesday)
Source:
Credibility:
Just because it's a national news source doesn't make it credible. AP asked AT&T/Apple and they couldn't confirm. More importantly, why release in the middle of a week? Apple historically announces products on Tuesdays, not Wednesdays. Let's just throw this one out.
June 29 (Friday)
Sources:
Credibility:
In the case of Apple, it doesn't get any later in June than this.
Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster have been pretty reliable in the past, accurately predicting the unveiling of the iPhone and announcing availability of the Apple TV at Macworld. Munster says the release is going to come down right to the wire in June.
At least one AT&T store has mentioned this specific date from an EI forum member; the manager in question cites a corporate e-mail as the source. They'll be receiving shipments on the 28 with general release the next day.
I was previously under the assumption that Jobs would announce immediate (or Tuesday/Friday) availability at WWDC on June 11, but everything I've read, I keep coming to the conclusion that Jobs will probably use WWDC to announce a separate "Media Event" as they've had in the past to introduce the iPhone and rehash its features/plans.
Jobs is not going to give Leopard or the iPhone a backseat and spend about a half hour of developer's time going over available plans and when the iPhone will be available, rehash features, etc. A product such as the iPhone deserves its own "initiation" which it will receive at a separate event. We've already seen most of the what iPhone can do; most people who have already seen the demo are either sold or not on the device. One thing that may seal the deal: if Jobs does mention the iPhone, he'll probably put the rest that developers will be able to develop for the iPhone and support is built-into Leopard, if he does this at all.
Read on...
June 11/12 (Monday or Tuesday)
Sources:
- Boy Genius
- Jobs Keynote at WWDC
Credibility:
BGR reports a couple AT&T posters have mentioned the April 11 date; Jobs Keynote at WWDC is June 11; why not announce immediate or Tuesday (typical Apple release date) availability? Jobs could easily segue into (or out of) how developers will be able to make applications for the phone, etc.
However, Apple is very good at creating a buzz for new products. Jobs could just as easily announce the official launch date for the phone, creating even more buzz to follow than an immediate release would.
June 15 (Friday)
- AT&T Corporate Memo (Boy Genius)
- MailTank Press Release (PR Web)
Credibility:
The AT&T Corporate Memo mentions employees won't be able to take off after June 15 or before July 15. That's a pretty big window, implying AT&T doesn't really want to reveal the official release date. What gives it credibility is June 15 is incredibly close to the keynote, perhaps being able to pre-order online, with AT&T brick and mortar stores receiving theirs in shortly thereafter on Friday for the "official" release.
MailTank announces in their press release their product is ready for release when the iPhone will hit shelves: June 15. Are they just speculating like the rest of us or do they know something we don't?
June 20 (Wednesday)
Source:
- AT&T Store reps (reported by CNBC's "On the Money")
Credibility:
Just because it's a national news source doesn't make it credible. AP asked AT&T/Apple and they couldn't confirm. More importantly, why release in the middle of a week? Apple historically announces products on Tuesdays, not Wednesdays. Let's just throw this one out.
June 29 (Friday)
Sources:
- Piper Jaffray Analyst / ComputerWorld
- AT&T Store Manager
- Apple (states Late June in delaying Leopard)
Credibility:
In the case of Apple, it doesn't get any later in June than this.
Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster have been pretty reliable in the past, accurately predicting the unveiling of the iPhone and announcing availability of the Apple TV at Macworld. Munster says the release is going to come down right to the wire in June.
At least one AT&T store has mentioned this specific date from an EI forum member; the manager in question cites a corporate e-mail as the source. They'll be receiving shipments on the 28 with general release the next day.
I was previously under the assumption that Jobs would announce immediate (or Tuesday/Friday) availability at WWDC on June 11, but everything I've read, I keep coming to the conclusion that Jobs will probably use WWDC to announce a separate "Media Event" as they've had in the past to introduce the iPhone and rehash its features/plans.
Jobs is not going to give Leopard or the iPhone a backseat and spend about a half hour of developer's time going over available plans and when the iPhone will be available, rehash features, etc. A product such as the iPhone deserves its own "initiation" which it will receive at a separate event. We've already seen most of the what iPhone can do; most people who have already seen the demo are either sold or not on the device. One thing that may seal the deal: if Jobs does mention the iPhone, he'll probably put the rest that developers will be able to develop for the iPhone and support is built-into Leopard, if he does this at all.
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