There are no iPhones available at stores in France or the U.K., in addition to the coast-to-coast shortage reported in the U.S. What's the problem? No one is sure, but it could be anything from component supply problems to a new product introduction. The latter seems more likely; Apple usually has a well-run supply chain. Even so, we don't see Steve Jobs launching an iPhone upgrade without a big event. An unscheduled one, possibly at the big CTIA Wireless convention currently running in Vegas? Not his style — Jobs likes to hog the stage.

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