If this latest report proves to be true, the iPhone 5 could launch sooner than anyone expected, according to a “reliable industry source”. This source told KnowYourMobile that the iPhone 5 would be revealed during an Apple keynote on August 7. iOS 6 is expected to be officially released at this time too.
iPhone 5 release date set for August 7th suggests report, iOS 6 too
The iPhone 4S debuted on October 4 last year, and was on sale a week later. The iPhone 4 before it had been released in June 2010 at WWDC, and this year people think the iPhone 5 will be out in September or October.
A September or early October release puts the iPhone up for holiday sales, and Apple will have the full holiday quarter to ring up plenty of sales. August may seem a bit early, but Apple is no stranger to acting off-calendar, so it’s not impossible.
Forrester analyst Charles Golvin reckons that an August launch means Apple will cash in on the back-to-school run. However, to do this, Apple will need to get FCC approval by then, which may add to the challenges it already faces in making the phone available in stores and through operator channels. “I believe that the more likely scenario is that Apple will release the new iPhone in September-October and focus on the Christmas selling season, which is the most significant sales opportunity,” said Golvin.
Carrying on regardless is a Chinese website which is taking pre-orders for the iPhone 5 even though there’s no real announcement yet.
If this does serve true then we could see an end to the Samsung Galaxy S3 reign which so far stands uncontested. We’ll keep you posted as more develops.
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