Most of you know that one of the big events that takes place in May each year is the Triple Crown of Horse Racing. The Triple Crown includes the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. One of the common racing betting practices is to bet the daily double, when you try to pick the winner in two completely separate races. If you have ever been to the races, you can understand just how tough this can be. The daily double has allure because the winning payoff is greater than the payoff of the two races separately.

In January, Steve Jobs and the marketing powers at Apple made the same bet. The company used the keynote address at MacWorld to announce the upcoming release of the new Apple iPhone. The big gamble came because the Federal Trade Commission had not approved the iPhone for public use and the launch date was still six months away. The gamble was whether the FCC would approve the iPhone for public use without any major refinements and whether enough buzz would generated by potential users to ensure a successful launch in June of 2007.

Apple won the first gamble with the announcement that the iPhone has passed the FCCs test and is ready to go into production. Apples stock rose nearly $ 2.00 on the news.

The certification document posted on the web reads as follows:
The Apple Inc. A1203 GSM Cellular Telephone with Bluetooth and Wifi, FCC ID: BCGA1203, is in compliance with the limits for general population uncontrolled exposure specified in FCC 2.1093. The device was tested according to the measurement standards and procedures specified in FCC OET Bulletin 65, Supplement C (Edition 01-01) and IEEE p1528/D1.2, April 21, 2003.
The second gamble seems to be paying off in two areas. The first is that unit sale projections have increased dramatically with the release of several independent surveys and reports. Shelby Seyrafi, a respected analyst from Caris & Co, recently went on record saying that the sales projects of 10 million units by the end of fiscal 2008 may be low. In fact, Seyrafi is estimating that Apple could sell as many as 17 million iPhones in fiscal 2008 and then jump to 25 million units in fiscal 2009.

As we come down the stretch, the release date has yet to be announced, but the cell phone industry is buzzing and the Apple iPhone is seems to be driving the betting line down to better than even money that the iPhone will break the tape in glorious fashion. So, whether you are an Apple fan or a hater, the ride in the coming weeks should be exciting, to say the least, for the people that are watching. And one thing is for sure, a lot of people are watching.

Terry Breedlove is a consultant & computer enthusiast. His focus is on down to earth, practical information, and keeping an open mind to make the best decision for your needs has inspired a new his websites. iphoneusertips.com which will supply user tips on how to use the new Apple iPhone and articles on various aspects of the iPhone.