3 million 3G iPhones for June just ordered?

By Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 28 April 2008 19:22

Mobility

A report in the Chinese-language “Commercial Times” says the Foxconn, the current and sole supplier of 2G iPhones, has just had 3 million 3G iPhones ordered for delivery in June. Is this the closest confirmation of a 3G iPhone yet?

If a report from the Commercial Times newspaper is to be believed, re-reported by Taiwan’s DigiTimes, enough material supplies for 3 million 3G iPhones for delivery in June has just been ordered by Apple. 

The manufacturer that received the orders is Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai, the current manufacturer of 2G, first generation iPhones, with Foxconn reportedly expecting to ship 24-25 million 3G iPhones in total over its lifetime – presumably before either a higher capacity 3G iPhone is unveiled, or its successor arrives.

According to DigiTimes, Commercial Times got its info from “foreign institutional investors in Taipei”, so just how much truth there is behind the report is ultimately, as yet, unknown.

The report also notes that Foxconn has been “instructed” by Apple to “being preparing material supplies by the end of May”, which could indicate a late June launch if the 3G iPhone is announced in early June at the Apple WorldWide Developers Conference (WWDC) starting June 9.

This would mean that June would see 3G iPhone manufacturing rapidly proceed, with shipment needing to start soon after to arrive in the US in time for a late June retail launch.

Of course, no-one besides Steve Jobs, his inner circle and top level executives at Foxconn know the truth.

But given the fact that a late June release effectively means a year will have elapsed after the original iPhone was launched, it’s certainly a prime time for a new iPhone to appear.

Whether it’s enough time for the rumoured ‘haptic’ technology giving tactile feedback when virtual buttons on the 3G iPhone’s screen are pressed is unknown, given that negotiations with Immersion are reportedly still in play.

But if anyone knows how to move fast, it’s Apple, so haptic technology could well be but one of the many iSurprises Steve Jobs has in store for his next generation, 3G iPhone.

We’ll just have to wait until June 9 to find out!