Apple has confirmed that it will be launching the iPhone in Europe by the end of this year, however in a bombshell to some Europeans, confirmed that not all of Europe will be getting the new phone from the computer maker.

"We plan to go into a few major countries in Europe next quarter, to move across other countries in Europe in 2008 and enter Asia in 2008 as well", said Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook in the company's financial results conference call.

The news will come as a disappointment to some Europeans hoping to get the new phone in time for Christmas.

In the US Apple said that it sold 270,000 iPhones in the last 30 hours of the quarter, however admitted that only 146,000 phones were activated following activation issues.

The company confirmed that it aims to sell over 1 million iPhones by the end of September this year with the goal to sell a further 9 million over the next year in 2008.

Commentators believe that the UK, France and Germany will be the first countries to get the new phone.