iPhone on target for end of June launch

Source

BOSTON (Reuters) - The iPhone, Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) first mobile handset, is on schedule to hit the U.S. market at the end of June, a senior executive with AT&T Inc. (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday.

AT&T's wireless unit has an exclusive U.S. deal to sell the highly anticipated new handset.

"Our expectations are good. Our testing has been good," said AT&T Chief Operating Officer Randall Stephenson. "The iPhone is on target to launch in June."

The iPhone has become one of the most highly awaited product debuts since Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs demonstrated a prototype of the device in January.

There had been speculation by some blogs and reports that the iPhone could be delayed due to technical issues.

Stephenson said more than 1 million customers have said that they would like to buy one of the phones when they're available for purchase.

He made the comments while in Boston to speak at a Boston College Chief Executives' Club luncheon.

Stephenson said he was not sure how many iPhones will be available at launch.

"We're sorting through that right now," he said. "We got a million people waiting to buy it so we're hoping we get a million."