Taiwan’s DigiTimes has word from a Merrill Lynch analyst that Apple will be shipping 4 million iPhones in 2007, with 12 million to follow in 2008. It’s unclear if that is expected to sate consumer demand, or whether Apple will be keeping people waiting for an iPhone.

If you want the best chance of getting an iPhone at launch, though, Steve Jobs has a little advice for you: avoid Apple stores. Apparently Steve thinks the iPhone is so associated with Apple that everyone will be going to their shops to make the purchase, leaving AT&T’s retail locations quiet by comparison. We’d expect that come June 29, anyplace with iPhones on offer will be pretty busy.

Filed under: iPhone News