iPhone Unlocked

There is some clear skepticism going around about the rumor that Apple will be annoucing plans for the European iPod release this Monday.  For example:

Even if, as they state, the phone wouldn’t be available in Europe until January 2008, it’d be suicide for Apple to make such an announcement. American iPhone sales would immediately drop dead.3G Euro iPhone Announcement Monday? No Bloody Way! « Mike Cane’s Blog

I share his skepticism, but not to the same degree.  The iPhone is certainly popular amongst geeks who will devour every bit of news about it, but clearly, with the press coverage it’s received in the US, the market appeal is much broader.  Most of those people aren’t going to give a half a damn about what Apple does in Europe.

For another thing, the people who are buying the first release of the iPhone are people who don’t want to wait 6 months or more for the next version.

A Eurpoean announcement of a more capable and flexible phone could create some ill will in the US, and might depress sales somewhat, but it won’t kill them.  By announcing soon in Europe, Apple can build on the buzz from cross-Atlantic news reporting.