It's easy to speculate about why Apple announced the iPhone so early, so here goes.

The iPhone resembles, at least superficially, the LG KE850, which recently won the International Forum Design Product Design Award for 2007. Both phones do away with most buttons, and rely on a full-device display with on-screen buttons. LG hasn't decided yet if it will sue Apple for copying its design. It's possible Apple announced iPhone so Apple wouldn't follow the LG KE850 to the market and look like a copycat.

Maybe Jobs wanted to divert attention away from the backdating scandal. Maybe Jobs decided that Apple TV was too weak of a product to carry a keynote. Maybe the motive was good old-fashioned FUD.

Whatever the reason, I think Apple's CEO made a big mistake. A June unveiling that coincided with the actual product launch would have kept customers and Wall Street expectations in line; concealed product details from competitors; given Apple TV the full spotlight when it ships; kept iPod sales robust and would have helped Apple gracefully negotiate the rights to use the name "iPhone." In short, it would have been the traditional Apple home run.

Steve Jobs blew it.