It was just a year ago that the industry was buzzing over the imminent launch of Apple’s iPhone, and here we are again, all aflutter with expectations that Apple will announce an updated version as soon as next week. The industry is predicting that Steve Jobs will announce a next generation iPhone at Apple’s developers’ conference next Monday.
The next generation version is expected to include support for 3G networks, corporate e-mail and a host of other new third-party applications through its new application store.
Rumors are also circulating that Apple could bow to industry pressure and allow AT&T, or other carriers, to subsidize the price of the handset, and that the company could allow multiple carriers in one region to offer the handset. Apple has already announced multiple carrier partners in a few different countries.