Will the iPhone support Cingular's 3G network?

Up until this point there's been little reason to believe that the iPhone would support Cingular's network. Why Apple and Cingular would release a next generation device that was a generation behind in wireless connectivity has left some people scratching their heads. Recently, rumors have started circulating that the iPhone may surprise us again. The New York Times recently reported:

"The device is not currently compatible with the faster 3G wireless data networks that are driving sharp gains in cellular revenues in the United States, although several Apple insiders said the phone could be upgraded to 3G with software if Apple later decides to do so."

Engadget has recently, not to our surprise, refuted this with some good ol' fashioned common sense:

"It's not unheard of for a firmware upgrade to unlock new features or functionality in a device, but the sources we've spoken to have made it pretty clear that Apple hasn't wedged a UMTS or HSDPA radio into this thing. Not that we wouldn't mind this being true. We're pretty bummed that the iPhone doesn't have HSDPA -- once you taste 3G, it's hard to go back to anything slower -- but it's semi-understandable that they'd want to use an EDGE radio that'd cost less and be less power hungry. Or at least that seems to be the prevailing theory..."

Certainly the most likely answer to whether the Apple iPhone will have 3G support at this point is no. This has left more than a few people confused and/or angry. Not uncommon are scathing editorials such as this one, blasting Apple and Cingular for this hard to understand move.