The new Apple iPhone is displayed at the Apple store in central London, September 18, 2007.

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Apple will launch a high-speed wireless version of iPhone in the second quarter and produce as many as 8 million of the devices in the third quarter, media reported Monday.

"Our latest channel checks point to a significant production build of a 3G iPhone beginning in the month of June after an initial small build in May," said Scott Craig, analyst from Bank of America.

Craig said that now he expects production volume to be much higher than his previous estimates. He said Apple planned to build more than 3 million high-speed iPhones in May followed by more than 8 million in the third quarter of the year.

Craig, who had previously estimated 8 million iPhone units for the whole of 2008, said that was starting to look conservative unless some of the plans were pushed back.

Many other analysts have said they expect Apple, which is holding a developer conference in June, to launch an advanced iPhone around that time.

Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart said it would make sense for Apple to bring out its high-speed iPhone in June around the time it launches an upgrade to iPhone software.

Apple has said it expects to have sold 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008. It said in January that it had sold more than 4 million iPhones since the phone was launched in June.