Apple announces iPhone release date
Monday, 04 Jun 2007 21:12
Excitement is growing across the Atlantic
US consumer electronics firm Apple has announced the price and launch date for its hotly-awaited iPhone.
The product, unveiled in San Francisco at the Macworld Conference and Expo in January, will sell for $499 (£250) and $599 (£301) from June 29th in the US.
It features a 3.5in widescreen iPod, a Wi-Fi internet hub and a two megapixel camera, in addition to the traditional functions of a mobile phone.
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs has claimed the phone was "literally five years ahead of any mobile phone" and it is widely expected to be a popular hit when it is launched later this month.
The gadget has already had a complicated history going beyond its top-secret two-year development period.
Its 'iPhone' name was the subject of a legal dispute between Apple and Cisco Systems, settled out of court in February with an agreement that both would use the name.
Now promotion for the iPhone has begun, with adverts appearing on Apple's website and on US television channels.
Some analysts have said there may not be sufficient demand to initially cope with the device's potential popularity.