UPDATE: Apple's online store is up and the iPhone is now available for purchase online. It ships in two to four weeks.

Apple has officially launched iPhone, its very anticipated combo of a mobile phone an iPod and Internet communicator.

Apple and AT&T stores are progressively opening their doors accross the U.S.A at 6 pm exactly so as to welcome those thousands of people who started lining-up in front of the stores. Some of them were already camping two days ago.

This is probably the biggest and the most hyped launch in the history of consumer electronics, many commentators said of the iPhone's launch.

Some analysts are expecting Apple to exceed its own expectations of 10 million iPhone solds during 2008. Some forecasts even expect over 25 million of them to be sold next year, representing a little more than 2.5% of a giant market worth hundreds of billions.

Apple's shares have gained nearly 45% of value since the company introduced the iPhone in January. The stock continued to climb today, it was up 1.23% to $122.04 during the regular trading session and traded even higher to $122.20 during after hours.

The iPhone will also be made available online very shortly. Apple's online store is currently closed and is showing the usual yellow sticky saying saying "We'll be back soon". This time the sticky appears inside an iPhone's screen though, indicating that the momentally down-time is due to the iPhone's imminent availability for purchase online. UPDATE: Apple's online store now up again.

MacScoop has provided and continues to provide coverage on the iPhone's launch on this page.