Apple Computer’s chief executive Steve Jobs reportedly boasts about the company’s long-rumored phone “in the inner circles”, a news-story by AppleInsider web-site claims. Potentially, this may mean that the player is ready and about to be launched. At least, some sources familiar with the matter are sure that the world may see the device “earlier than expected”.

It is reported that Steve Jobs, the head of Apple, is so excited about Apple’s phone that he has produced several “zealous ramblings amongst personal acquaintances” since this spring. It is also claimed that “incremental buzz surrounding the phone” has increased recently and that the long-discussed phone would be released “earlier than some people may be expecting”. Reportedly, Apple already submitted its cell phone for at least two original equipment manufacturers.

Financial analysts have been talking about Apple iPod phone for several quarters now, as this type of product would be able to leverage the company’s digital media franchise as well as drive Apple’s sales up.

When asked about thoughts on Sony Ericsson’s Walkman phones and their success, Apple’s chief financial officer replied that he did not think that those phones were the best as players and that Apple is also working further on different kinds of devices.

“We don’t think [...] phones that are available today make the best music players. We think the iPod is, but over time that’s likely to change. […] And we are not sitting around doing nothing,” said Peter Oppenheimer.

While quite a lot of observers have been talking about the iPod phone or iPhone for some time now, there are still no technical details on the matter. It is even unclear how many phone models there will be and for which markets they will be initially targeted, as different markets use different types of networks.