iPhone rumor mill: 3G in 2008, iTunes ringtones

While we're still months away from the iPhone's U.S. launch, the rumor mill keeps churning out tiny morsels of information on a seemingly daily basis. The biggest "news" is that a 3G version of the iPhone will allegedly appear in early 2008--in Europe, anyway. Citing assurances from a Swedish carrier, AppleInsider is reporting that the iPhone will initially appear in Europe in September of this year, to be followed soon afterward by an updated model sporting that most-wanted feature: support for HSDPA networks.

In other iPhone rumor news, obsessed fanboys who compulsively watch the iPhone keynote have made a discovery: a "Ringtones" tab in the version of iTunes used in Steve's presentation. While Apple has yet to publicly reveal whether it will fleece consumers like other carriers/vendors do by selling ringtones via the iTunes store or if it will allow iTunes songs to be used as ringtones (please let it be so), this development seems to suggest that the company plans to do something with ringtones. So you can take that for what it's worth.

For more on the latest rumors:
- see this Ars Technica article

ALSO: Miss the first ever iPhone ad last night? Check it out on the front page of Apple's website