According to several sources, Apple’s iPhone will soon be sold at Wal-Mart. Boy Genius Report’s insider says that sales will begin on November 15.

Link is here: http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/10/11/iphone-3g-coming-to-a-walmart-near-you/

The truth of this claim will be an interesting test of either (a) how far retailers will go to accommodate Apple, or (b) how far Apple will go to conquer the globe.

Wal-Mart typically demands heavy compromises from its companies and suppliers, including control over distribution and packaging. For Apple to agree to this would go far beyond demonstrating that it never wanted to be a “cult,” or that it has no interest in maintaining an elitist image: it would mean the hot breath of The Other America on the back of Steve Jobs’ neck, something no one figured Jobs would be willing to do.

More likely is that Wal-Mart has simply agreed to take iPhones the way Apple sends them, as Best Buy does, (and remember, Best Buy had to retrain staff and sell at close to cost, hoping to profit on accessories), or that the rumor is bogus. Time will tell. This move could be huge for Apple and the iPhone, exposing more people to the device and giving it more mass