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Times are tight all around, and iPhone resellers are not exempt. While the people who try to turn a dollar buying up and reselling Apple's mobile phone are suffering under the current shortage of iPhones, there is a surplus of rumors about an imminent new model from Apple.

According to this Business Week article, the shortage could be an indication that Apple, who historically tightens its inventories of devices 60 to 90 days before a new model's launch, is gearing up to introduce the next iPhone iteration.

The New York Times fuels speculation about the possibility of an iPhone with the ability to connect to faster 3G networks. And analyst Gene Munster weighs in with the opinion that there is an "80 percent chance that a new version of the iPhone is coming earlier than anticipated."

cNet describes the delicate position Apple is in, gearing up for a 3G iPhone launch: "The problem with announcing [a new iPhone] first and shipping it later is that iPhone sales could screech to a halt in the weeks, or maybe months, until the 3G model is ready."

Of course, speculation about missing iPhones have been a staple feature of the iPhone hype for some time. Meanwhile keep your eyes peeled for clues to what -- and when -- Steve Jobs has in store for the iPhone.

Own an iPhone?

Then chances are pretty good that you're satisfied with that device, at least according to Rubicon Consulting and its survey of U.S. iPhone users, which determined that 75 percent of respondents are experiencing "very high levels of satisfaction."

Chances are pretty strong, too, that you were already one of the Apple devout. You know, already a fan of the company, had a Mac, an iPod and were part of the Apple installed base. That's another 75 percent to match, Rubicon says.

The phone's popularity may play a role in the iPhone shortage that The New York Times is reporting today -- though that could also indicate that "a new version of the iPhone is coming earlier than anticipated."

But while one quarter of respondents indicate that it's displacing a notebook PC, a full one-third said they carry a second phone right along with the iPhone.

What's more, Apple's market-expanding device drives annual phone bills up some $228.

One company that benefits from that, of course, is AT&T; the carrier's gross service revenue increased by about $2 billion per year, Rubicon explained.

So, the question remains: If you own an iPhone, were you already an Apple disciple, or did the handheld convert you?