Bloomberg reports:
Apple has placed a manufacturing order for 10 million updated iPhones that can download from the Internet at a faster rate than current models, Gartner Inc. said.
The new phones operate on third-generation, or 3G, wireless networks, analyst Ken Dulaney said today in an interview.
He cited an unnamed source in Asia, where the devices will be built.
The iPhones also may have a screen that is thinner and consumes less power than Apple’s current version, he said.
“This is an order placed at the factory, a commitment to the manufacturer,” Dulaney said, citing his source.
The phones would likely be produced over 18 months, he said.
Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs plans to ship 10 million iPhones this year, up from 3.7 million in 2007.