From the beginning, the Apple iPhone launch date has been a moving target: first rumored to be as early as January, it then skipped around June, from June 11 to June 22 to June 20. In Steve Jobs' uncertain speech at the D conference last week, it sounded like the very end of June. But who could be sure? Finally, this morning, a rumor with some teeth from Engadget: June 29 was the date. And then the confirmation: the television commercials, one of which featured the all-important June 29 date, were posted on Apple's web site. And a few minutes after I drooled over the photos, there the date was on my very own TV (NBC, if you're wondering).

As a first-time Apple fanatic (the iPhone will be my first ever Apple purchase, and I've been drooling since January 9), I'm disappointed that I have to wait until June 29, when I was oh-so-hoping I'd have it by mid-June at the latest (I'm eight months pregnant and very much expecting to deliver the news of my new baby's birth via iPhone). But, as my husband says while watching the dripping-with-touch commercial: "boy, that's a cool phone!" and I'm predicting great things and long lines to secure one of these beautiful specimens. As the guys at Switched.com say: "these new previews of the phone and its capabilities make a somewhat acceptable consolation prize" for the later-than-hoped date.

Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) will score big on this one, and even though the date is later than hoped, at least it's not delayed beyond the fuzzy target of "late June" and at least the iPhone is real, it's really almost here.

Bloggingstocks has just received an interesting tip that the Apple iPhone will have a January 15 release date. Apple's Macworld Expo runs from January 9 -12, and the money is on Apple to announce at Macworld that the iPhone exists and will ship at some future date. This tip alleges that iPhone's release date (the shipping and purchasing date) will be just days after Macworld Expo.

This does several things for Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). One, it will beat analyst's expectations of when the iPhone will actually get into customer's hands and create some serious buzz.

Two, it will be rapidly available after one of Apple's biggest announcement events (many new models and products from Apple are touted at MacWorld).

And three? It positions Apple for further interest in its stock, as many investors gauge Apple stock based solely on its iPod offerings.

If this forwarded rumor (and we emphasize that it is a rumor) is true, then the recent drawing back of Apple's stock price into the 80s might represent a buying opportunity for an investor with some room for risk.

If Apple announces a January 15th iPhone, will you be buying one?

Update: The iPhone release date of June 29 has been confirmed as of June 3, 2007.

Tobias Buckell is a professional blogger, author, and freelance writer. He owns shares of Apple.