No. Fall is the new release cycle for the iPhone.

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Unless sales of the 4S fall flat, I can’t see a June release of the 5, either. With 37 million iPhones sold last quarter, unless something changes drastically in the months ahead, they don’t need an early release of a new model.

jfbiii, how do you know that?  The original source of these rumors is very reliable.  That person told another blog last year, several months prior to the 4S release about it and all the hardware upgrades.  The article was universally laughed at because…why would Apple release a minor upgrade after so long?  Well that source was right and they’re probably right this time too.  You probably have a 4S and hope/wish that the new one won’t be released so soon - well I’m sorry that you’re out of luck. 

Speaking of upgrades, I like new phones as much as the next guy but it’s downright amazing that a $200 item has become disposable like a toaster.

No. Fall is the new release cycle for the iPhone.

It is possible that the release timing is in part a strategic factor, something to take the wind out of the sails of competitor’s sales.

IMHO the iPhone 5 will come out this summer. The 4s was not a full upgrade. Apple had been busy with bringing new wireless providers into the family. I think Apple has been waiting on improvements to LTE parts for this next major upgrade. Summer is the time this will take place. It is just my opinion.

I’d be surprised if the rumor were true. Apple generally spreads product releases out throughout the year. This is to help it manage growth to sustain earnings. For the stock to go up, it needs to beat its sales number for the comparable quarter of the previous year. I don’t see Apple beating this last quarter if a new iPhone doesn’t come out in the Fall.

With that said, the OSX and iOS teams at Apple are one in the same. When iOS 4 was released, it delayed the normal launch time of Snow Leopard. When Lion was released, it delayed the normal release time of iOS5. Perhaps since Lion is in the wild, Apple will go back to the summer release schedule.

I think it would make more sense for Apple to release a minor revised phone to bring T-mobile into the fold in the summer (like Verizon last year), and bring the major revision in the Fall.

The 4s was not a full upgrade.

Strange. It was about as significant as any other upgrade. The whole internals were completely redesigned. New CPU, new graphics processing, new antenna, new camera, etc.

Perhaps the design upgrade wasn’t one you appreciated, but 38 million people disagreed with you.

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Strange. It was about as significant as any other upgrade. The whole internals were completely redesigned. New CPU, new graphics processing, new antenna, new camera, etc.

Agreed. I upgraded from the 4 to the 4S, and form factor aside, its a completely new phone. It’s much faster than the 4 (very noticeable when playing games, even Angry Birds), the camera is nothing short of stunning, plus there’s Siri. What’s not to like?

Perhaps the design upgrade wasn’t one you appreciated, but 38 million people disagreed with you.

I don’t think you read any of my posts on the 4s when it was released. I still think it was a good upgrade. I bought one for my wife; which makes us part of the 38 million who agree. I’ve also recommended the 4s to others. I think it is a great phone and better than my 4 by a lot.

All that being said; Apple didn’t see fit to give it the “5” label. I think the 4s would have warranted that label; but Apple didn’t for some reason. That is the only point I was making. They have something different in mind for the iPhone 5.

All that being said; Apple didn’t see fit to give it the “5” label. I think the 4s would have warranted that label; but Apple didn’t for some reason.

Probably because the exterior changed very little, for which Samsung is grateful.

Probably because the exterior changed very little, for which Samsung is grateful.

Yes. I think that was part of it; but I really think Apple had plans to include LTE. The chips just weren’t up to their standards in time. I am not really interested in a larger form factor. It may be a larger phone is part of the compromise they will have to make to get enough battery time with LTE.

Yes. I think that was part of it; but I really think Apple had plans to include LTE.

Yes, that too. AT&T recently announced LTE service here in San Diego, soon most major markets will have it.

I am not really interested in a larger form factor. It may be a larger phone is part of the compromise they will have to make to get enough battery time with LTE.

A few weeks ago there was a story about Apple patenting a battery that could be thinner yet with longer life.  http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/battery_patent_application_hints_at_thinner_apple_devices/

It could be that iPhone is not the new iPod and that they’ll eschew a fall release just to stuff LTE into a phone. But they already passed on stuffing LTE into a phone when they couldn’t do it without killing battery life. Even with large-scale rollouts of LTE, it still won’t be prevalent this summer. I’m not even sure it will be prevalent enough this year to warrant putting into an iPhone.

I could be completely wrong, and perhaps the iPhone and iPad will flip release cycles, but the late 4th-quarter release of a 1st-tier product is, I think, extremely important to Apple’s sales numbers.

As to Blaster’s suggestion that I have a hope or wish about release dates, I’m not an iPad or iPhone user, and won’t be this year regardless. I just like to follow Apple.