Good news, Apple fanpeople. According to BusinessWeek.com, Prudential Equity Group analyst Jesse Tortora upgraded computer and iPod maker Apple Inc. on Monday. This was due to predictions of an earlier-than-expected launch of both the company's new operating system and Adobe's Creative Suite 3.

Tortora expects Mac OS X Leopard and Creative Suite 3 to be released simultaneously at the end of March. This is about one or two months ahead of Wall Street expectations. While we've just posted a clarification regarding the launch of Adobe's CS3, an early appearance for Leopard will surely be a delight for Apple fans the world over.

Tortora also predicted that Apple will benefit from the launch of the iPhone. The device is slated for a June release in the U.S., followed by Europe in the fourth quarter and in Asia in early 2007. Tortora boosted the Cupertino-based company to "Overweight" from "Neutral Weight" and raised his price target to US$ 105 from US$ 100.