" ITREALMS: Apple set to unveil iPhone

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Apple set to unveil iPhone

The much anticipated iPhone from Apple is gathering momentum just as its launch slated for this Friday, June 29, draw nearer.

According to reports from ABC News and Associate Press, the debut of its much coveted iPhone is already sending some frenzy feeling among consumers.

“I’m a slave to the iPod I might as well be a slave to the iPhone,” a telecom consumer was quoted as saying.

Champion Infotel recalls that the chief executive, Apple, Mr. Steve Jobs, had brought iPhone excitement to fever pitch when he announced last January of the intended launch and ever since then consumers have waited anxiously for the iPhone to arrival.

“It’s a cell phone, music and video player, Internet browser and e-mail device.,” Mr. Job declared.

The product would only be available for purchase at Apple stores and through AT&T, the exclusive cell phone carrier for the iPhone.

As said in a recent survey by M Metrics, more than 60 per cent of consumers are aware of what the iPhone is and an unprecedented chunk of those people are interested in buying one.

“Having an iPhone within the first six months is going to be a status symbol: ‘I have one. You don’t have one,’” said analyst Mike Goodman of Yankee Group.

The media has featured more than 5,000 articles about the iPhone till date and the hype keeps growing, with Apple unveiling displays at some of their stores. The company also has posted new iPhone tutorial videos online.

AT&T is so bullish about the consumer interest since they have hired an extra 2,000 temporary employees just to handle the onslaught.

Apple has not even released the $500 ( about N70,000) phone to tech experts for an objective review, but that is not deterring some consumers.

A telecom consumer had told ABC News that he would buy the phone sight unseen because he trusts it.

“I think people are expecting something really innovative from Apple,” said analyst Nick Wingfield of the Wall Street Journal.

“They have done incredible things with the iPod. So, they are thinking that they might have a similar turn out in terms of innovation from the cell phone market,” he added

However, the superstar of the wireless market does have some cons. It is a first generation product, which may mean it could have some bugs or quirks and it’s a pricey venture, with an eight gigabyte model costing $600 and the four gigabyte model $500.

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