Katie MarsalAmong those commissioned were the phone's printed circuit board makers, which were told to begin shipping their parts for delivery by "early April," the China Economic News Service reported on Friday.
The move suggests that manufacturing ramp of the highly touted Apple handset will begin — at least in some capacity — shortly thereafter.
Rumors that Apple and wireless partner AT&T could be ready to bring iPhone to market ahead of their June estimate have been making the rounds since February but remain largely unconfirmed.
In an unexpected move, Apple earlier this week turned the south side of 32-foot glass cube in New York City into an enormous billboard for the handset. However, the semitransparent iPhone banner was removed within hours for an unknown reason.
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I suppose people can expect to learn shortly if the FCC approved Apple's design of the iPhone (AND possibly learn of additional hardware details); its probably been at least 2 and a half months sense they submitted the iPhone for approval. Possibly longer.
If Apple is already ordering delivery of components from suppliers, it is reasonable to expect that they have recieved word that it is good to go. Doesn't the FCC release notifications on Fridays? Maybe they JUST found out today.
I believe that Apple would have ramped up production as soon as they were informed that no changes were required by the FCC - and they had completed all of the programming for the various functions - like iCal.
I don't see Apple releasing the iPhone before the target date, but I do see them building up some major inventory positions in order to minimize the backorder situation that would otherwise develop within days of the release. With a lot of advanced production it will probably take a week or two before the iPhone is on backorder.
Can we assume they will be taking pre-orders next month too?
Apple Inc. has informed its network of iPhone component suppliers to begin delivery of materials to its Taiwanese manufacturing facilities by next month.
Among those commissioned were the phone's printed circuit board makers, which were told to begin shipping their parts for delivery by "early April," the China Economic News Service reported on Friday.
The move suggests that manufacturing ramp of the highly touted Apple handset will begin -- at least in some capacity -- shortly thereafter.
Rumors that Apple and wireless partner AT&T could be ready to bring iPhone to market ahead of their June estimate have been making the rounds since February but remain largely unconfirmed.
In an unexpected move, Apple earlier this week turned the south side of 32-foot glass cube in New York City into an enormous billboard for the handset. However, the semitransparent iPhone banner was removed within hours for an unknown reason.
Sounds like mid-May may be a possibility.
Sounds like mid-May may be a possibility.
There's always possibilities, but I'd say it might ship before June 1st.