[Plasma Shield]

A friendly neighborhood AT&T employee forwarded us a purported memo for AT&T retail store employees that could provide a rather telling clue about the next-gen iPhone’s release date this summer if it proves true. A similar memo went out last year around this time requesting that employees not take any vacations between June 15 and July 15, and this year those dates are June 15 and July 12 — which seems suspiciously early, but that’s what the man says. The memo cites “an exciting Summer Promotional Launch,” which we’re guessing doesn’t refer to some new Motorola flip phone. Also telling is the fact that employees might be able to take some vacations later within that window when things die down a bit, which seems to imply that Apple could be aiming for a launch date right around the iPhone’s one year anniversary of June 29th. How romantic.

Engadget >Leaked AT&T memo points to 3G iPhone release in late June?

Hmm, if AT&T asks employees(lol @ the spiderman reference) not to take vacations, it must mean that there will be an event that require all/most of the employees to be executed successfully. That really sounds like an new iPhone launch, and if any telecomm company is going to be chosen to release the new iPhone, it’ll most likely AT&T, given it’s exclusivity deal with the current gen iPhone. It also mentions that employees can take a break afterwards when “thing die down”.

So AT&T expect a flurry of activities after the event? Well, there aren’t any other phones with the ability of attracting a massive explosion of press coverage besides the iPhone. (more…)

In addition to a 3G iPhone release in early June, the 2.5G model could have a “minor casing change” and a price drop to between US$299 and $349, compared to the current $399, wrote Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, in a research report.

I heard that it’s going to be 3 mm thinner, yay!

The iPhone 2.0 software provides enterprise applications to iPhones, including push e-mail support through the Microsoft Exchange mail server. It also includes an SDK (software developer kit) for developers to write iPhone applications.

Yahoo News

I, for one, would care more if Apple quits being selfish and open up the iPhone for developers, the “iPhone software store” essentially is a iron gauntlet that only lets programs that Apple permits to be installed on the iPhone. I’m not even going to start on the monopoly and privacy issues. People may argue that the “iPhone Software Store” is worth it due to the money Apple has in funding for programs and that it is an easy way for developers to release their software and generate a return. But the thing is, nothing is stopping Apple from having the software store and let third part developers install programs through their own means, and not the software store. Developers can still choose to release their programs through Apple, but you also have the open software delivery through the internet.

Hmm, the thing is. Apple couldn’ve released the iPhone with Edge domestically in the US and another version with 3G internationally. I think Apple just wants Mo’ money, by profiting off the first version from the first version and people who can’t wait, and again with the 3G version. Probably the same reason that the iPods don’t come with FM radio, so that Apple can profit from it later.

That said, I’m still more likely going to buy an iPhone rather than a Windows Mobile 6 PDA.

Anyway, geometric series awaits.