Will Steve Jobs Launch The iPhone In Europe Next Week?Will Steve Jobs Launch The iPhone In Europe Next Week?

Earlier this week my colleague Richard Martin blogged about a possible iPhone launch in Europe. His post was triggered in part by a set of rumors that claim Steve Jobs has been hanging around London, especially in the Apple store. What's Steve up to?Here is a look at this iPhone rumor:

If Apple is preparing to launch the European edition of the iPhone in London next week, then Europe's carriers have had a pretty big change of mind. In the weeks prior to the launch of the iPhone, Europe's carriers supposedly said that Apple was "unbelievably arrogant" and seemed ready to pass on the Jesus phone. But after huge opening sales, it looks like the European carriers have changed their mind.

Late last week the Financial Times reported that Telefonica's O2 had signed up for the iPhone in the United Kingdom, while other reports claimed that T-Mobile would carry it in Germany. Now we get reports that Jobs is poking around London. I guess Apple isn't so arrogant after all.

Will Apple announce the iPhone in London next week? I don't see how the European carriers can say no after the iPhone's strong sales in the U.S. What do you think?