The company has also begun recruiting for a senior-level employee to handle the iPhone launch in Europe.

Back to the United States, the company has written to users who have signed up for more information about the device when it ships. The e-mail, which is titled "talk to you soon," promises customers: "Thanks for signing up. You'll be the first to hear the latest about iPhone—coming this June. That gives you just enough time to think of ways to break the news to your current phone."

Recent rumors have claimed the iPhone will ship in the United States on June 11, the first day of Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

In the United Kingdom, Apple is preparing the stage for the late 2007 launch of iPhone here. It's advertising for an iPhone business process engineer/project manager based in Ireland.

It's a complex post. The successful applicant must be able to provide cross-functional project management of the iPhone implementation project, implement the processes and systems required to support Apple's iPhone launch and ongoing support, and provide background and connections with existing mobile network operators.

The employee must also help the organization with its understanding of the mobile phone and telecom business models and help develop relationships with mobile firms.

The presence of multiple mobile networks within the job description possibly suggests Apple may bring the iPhone to Europe through several vendors, rather than pursuing a single European partner strategy—but that notion is pure speculation.