Could it be? Gee, the guy looks so guileless and honest, it never even occurred to us to check up on his facts-- but it is with deep shock and an ultimate sense of betrayal that we inform you that, evidently, Phil Schiller has been yanking our chain (and our chain doesn't like it one bit). Regular viewers will recall that just yesterday we told you about Phil's wide-eyed, gushing announcement that Apple has racked up over 150,000 pre-orders for the G4 iMacs in just three weeks-- and that those pre-orders outnumbered all the ones that Apple ever received for the original iMac. That would, indeed, be impressive, since the first iMac was introduced over three months before it finally shipped.

But faithful viewer Paul points out that Phil might have been massaging those numbers just a little bit; earlier today, MacInTouch reported that another Apple press release from back in 1998 indicated that the company had taken orders for "over 150,000 of its new iMac computers since beginning to accept orders a week ago." Over 150,000 in one week, out of a three-month pre-release period? If that's true, then it doesn't sound likely that the current iMacs are really out-pre-selling the original. Suddenly Phil's pants are looking a little smoky. (Smoky. As in, they're about to catch fire. It's a "liar, liar, pants on fire" thing. Ah, forget it...)

We can't believe that Phil would lie to us, the big galoot! Yeah, he's a marketing guy, so you almost have to expect it, but still, he was always the one we trusted. Steve's got them shifty eyes, but Phil has always seemed like a stand-up individual, a real mensch. You can imagine how disappointed we were when we heard the news.

But what's this? When we calmed down and looked at both press releases again, suddenly it all came clear: Apple may have introduced the original iMac in May of 1998, but it didn't actually start accepting pre-orders for it until August 3rd-- a mere week and a half before the ship date. So those 150,000 pre-orders were taken in a single week, but really represented three full months of pent-up demand. Given that fact, it's entirely possible that Apple did receive more new iMac pre-orders in three weeks than original iMac orders all told. (Presumably that's why the story disappeared from MacInTouch, too.) Oh, thank goodness... and here we thought we might have to dismantle our Phil Schiller Shrine of Honesty. Forgive us for having doubted you, Phil! Our self-inflicted penance will be fittingly severe.