Rumors that the iPhone will soon be sold in Wal-Mart locations have been confirmed by Wal-Mart employees who were apparently not trained that Apple's secrets are supposed to be kept secrets. The San Jose Mercury News has reported comments and quotes from named Wal-Mart employees and managers who say iPhones -- possibly a 4GB unit for $99 -- will be on sale at their stores soon.

"It's going to be very soon," Mark Blome, store manager of the Wal-Mart on Albrae Street in Fremont, told the San Jose Mercury News. "Originally they were going to release it before Christmas, but they can't get them that fast to us."

The Silicon Valley newspaper also quotes Lina (no last name) and Kim Nguyen, the department manager of the cell phone department at the Milpitas Wal-Mart, as confirming their locations will be selling iPhones. For its part, Bloomberg quoted several Wal-Mart employees and clerks who didn't want their names used.

Rumors that a 4GB iPhone would be sold at Wal-Mart after Christmas first appeared online late last week, rumors that the editors of this publication (Read: This specific editor) erroneously rejected as offbase. Indeed, the employees quoted by the Mercury News said that the various powers that be wanted to have iPhones in Wal-Marts as soon as two days before Christmas, but that they so far seem unable to meet that deadline.

"They're trying to push it before Christmas because they know how people will want it for Christmas," Ms. Nguyen said.

In the meanwhile, mum is still the word from Wal-Mart's corporate operations and Apple itself.