Apple has offically release the 3G iPhone.

Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 3G will be launched at 8 a.m. at all Apple retail stores on July 11th. This announcement confirms AT&T previously announced 8 a.m. launch time.

Those interested in purchasing the iPhone should know:
- Valid ID required. Social Security Number for those who are new to AT&T.
- It remains unclear how existing non-iPhone AT&T will be processed.
- Business customers must go to an AT&T store.
- FamilyTalk plan buyers must purchase at least 2 iPhones, or have an existing iPhone to be used in the plan.
- More details expected throughout the week.

Week 27 of 2008 trading was a short holiday week as we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th. Examine the following year-to-date performance.

Apple	NASDAQ	S&P 500	Dow Jones
-11.81%	-12.84%	-13.16%	-14.43%

Now, compare that performance to the AppleOption Portfolios!

AppleOption Short-Term Portfolio (STP)
      Started the January 2008 with $10,000
      Current portfolio value $13,359.49 (after commission/fees)
      Year-to-Date Gain 33.5%

AppleOption Long-Term Portfolio (LTP)
      Started the January 2008 with $25,000
      Current portfolio value $24,686.64 (after commission/fees)
      Year-to-Date Loss 1.3%

AppleOption Auto-Trade Portfolio (ATP)
      Started the June 2008 with $10,000
      Average Percentage Gain per Trade: 18.4%
      Performance since Inception: 100% Winning Trades
      Number of Open Trades: 4

If you are not yet a member of AppleOption, sign-up today and discover how we trade. We’ll teach you by showing all of our portfolio trades in real-time. Join AppleOption Now!
 

Weekly Review of Portfolio Trades
     

AppleOption Short-Term Portfolio

Despite a large swing in Apple from a low of $164 to a high of $177, the stock finished slightly up for the week at $170. Our portfolio has been patiently awaiting option expiration as we have several fantastic positions that are collecting great premium.

AppleOption Long-Term Portfolio

Similar to the STP, the LTP has a strong July position. Patience is the key in this portfolio and over trading is potentially be detrimental to the LTP. Thus we will sit tight until option expiration unless a great opportunity arises.

AppleOption Auto Trade Portfolio

The first five trades of this portfolio 21.7%, 42.8%, 0%, 0%, and 27.5% collectively add up to an average gain of 18.4% per trade. These winning trades have provided members of the ATP enough profit to join AppleOption for two years! We are excited by the entry point of our two most recent trades. These should pay off quite well in the next few weeks. We also have a full two-allocation trade remaining from last week which missed a profitable exit on Wednesday by $0.25.

There is a lot of excitement about our newest portfolio. The AppleOption Auto Trade Portfolio (ATP) is offered through ThinkorSwim. Investors interested in following the AppleOption Auto Trade Portfolio will need to open a ThinkorSwim brokerage account as well as need an active AppleOption Membership. After both of these are set-up, then investors will be ready to activate the auto-trading service through ThinkorSwim. Each trader determines his/her individual risk tolerance by selecting a specific allocation type. For more information please refer to the AppleOption Auto-Trade Portfolio (ATP) page.

 
Technical Apple Review
     
  

Key Reference Points:
5-EMA: $170.53
20-EMA: $174.82
50-MA: $180.02
200-MA: $163.62
1st Resistance: $178.40 - triple
2nd Resistance: $187.50 - triple
1st Support: $161.90 - double
2nd Support: $148.80 - double

Apple continues a healthy consolidation pattern. Traders are being offered multiple chances to enter at or near the 200-day moving average (200-MA) before the next rally of this stock. Potential catalyst include the first day of 3G iPhone sales next week and Apple earnings at the end of the month.

     
Up-Coming Earning Reports:

Apple will announce Quarter 3 earnings on July 24 (after July option expiration).

View which other companies releasing earnings next week

Tuesday, July 8th
    - Pepsi Bottling - PBG
    - Alcoa - AA
Thursday, July 10th
    - Marriott - MA
    - Progressive - PGR
Friday, July 11th
    - General Electric - GE
    - Rockwell Collins - COL

     
Analysis Reports:

No new changes in July yet.

     
Apple News:

3G iPhone will go on sale Friday July 11th @ 8:00am, A Guide for current and non-current AT&T customers is available (click to watch video). For more information about purchasing the 3G iPhone from AT&T. Apple also offers A Guided Tour of the iPhone 3G.

AppleInsider.com describes How to hand-down your old iPhone after upgrading to iPhone 3G.

The QuickTime HD video is the WWDC 2008 Keynote Address. The hyenas have questioned Steve Jobs’ health many times. In August 2006, Wired Magazine stated, “I wondered if Jobs, who was treated for cancer last year, was sick. Was he sharing presentation duties to save energy?” Then later in October 2006, Forbes stated, “Jobs looked gaunt and gave an an atypical (for him) low-energy speech.”

In August 2004, he was diagnosed with Islet Cell Pancreatic Cancer. This is a slow growing cancer and out all forms of pancreatic has a more favorable prognosis with a five-year survival rate of 80%. Typical pancreatic cancer carries a 98% mortality rate over five years! Jobs was luck with a favorable disease.

However, Steve Jobs still underwent a Whipple Procedure . This procedure involves removing the head of the pancreas, most of the duodenum (a part of the small intestine), a portion of the bile duct and sometimes a portion of the stomach. Not a benign procedure at all. Patients often lose 5-10% of their body weight after the operation. The vast majority see their weight stabilize after the first year or two. However some tend to have persistent problems with weight loss and lack of energy.

What is life like after a Whipple? Jobs has never spoken publicly. Thus, we will never know if he is experiencing any of the post-operative problems. A Johns Hopkins Hospital found that the overall quality of life of long-term survivors of the surgery is nearly comparable to that of healthy people.

Apple has likely ignored this hyena attack because it is meaningless and a rediculous effort to draw the share price down. View this as a buying opportunity!