Around the world in 6 months

One of the factors that will help Apple reach that goal will be international sales. As soon as the iPhone made its U.S. debut, the clamor from those residing in other countries intensified.

Apple’s stated plan was to expand into Europe in fall 2007, followed by Asia in 2008, and while there were many whispers about which countries that meant, there was no solid news until September, when Apple announced partnerships with O2 in the United Kingdom and T-Mobile in Germany. In October, France became the fourth country when Apple struck a deal with mobile provider Orange. As we move into 2008, rumors continue unabated for Apple’s deals in countries including China, Japan, and Australia; there remains no news to date for U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico.