In the absence of official word from Apple, rumors of the iPhone 5 are coming fast and furious. Track gossip rumors as it unfolds in our timeline.
Created by cnet on Jun 22, 2011
Last updated: 04/19/12 at 03:58 PM
There have been so many guesses about when the device will come out, but research from PiperJaffray, an investment banking firm, says that the iPhone is likely due out in October. This is because the company that is speculated to make its LTE 28-nanometer chip, Qualcomm, is having supply shortages and is struggling to keep up with demand.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57416651-94/iphone-5-may-launch-in-october-due-to-qualcomm-supply-issues/
There have been so many guesses about when the device will come out, but research from PiperJaffray, an investment banking firm, says that the iPhone is likely due out in October. This is because the company that is speculated to make its LTE 28-nanometer chip, Qualcomm, is having supply shortages and is struggling to keep up with demand.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57416651-94/iphone-5-may-launch-in-october-due-to-qualcomm-supply-issues/
Rumors of Apple ditching the glass has surfaced again. This time from a Korean new site, ETnews, which reported that the iPhone 5 may be made out of Liquidmetal. In late 2010, Apple acquired a license to Liquidmetal, but has only used it for the iPhone's SIM ejector tool.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57415807-37/next-iphone-said-to-ditch-glass-for-liquidmetal-arrive-in-june/
A whole new crop of iPhone rumors from varying media sources suggest that the iPhone will be more robust, both inside and out. Business Insider reported that it'll have a 4-inch screen and have a unibody case, and 9to5Mac claims it'll be equipped with an A5X chip.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57411613-64/fresh-iphone-5-rumors-modified-chip-new-body-bigger-screen/
A whole new crop of iPhone rumors from varying media sourcessuggest that the iPhone will be more robust, both inside and out. Business Insider reported that it'll have a 4-inch screen and have a unibody case, and 9to5Mac claims it'll be equipped with an A5X chip.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57411613-64/fresh-iphone-5-rumors-modified-chip-new-body-bigger-screen/
Oh Foxconn--manufacturing as many rumors as it does iPhones. According to the head of HR at its Taiyuan facilities, the iPhone 5 will be released in October, despite the fact that a week ago, a Foxconn hiring recruiter said it'll come out in June. Kotaku translated an article in South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper that reported this bit of news, and as always, we suggest you take this October estimate with a large ounce of skepticism.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57411182-37/new-iphone-to-debut-in-october-foxconn-employee-says
In a recorded conversation aired by TV Tokyo, a Foxconn recruiter said that the reason the company needed to hire 18,000 new workers was because the iPhone will be due out in June. This extra manpower further supports the idea of the device's summer release.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57408428-64/foxconn-recruiter-were-hiring-for-june-release-of-iphone-5/
Aside from more LTE rumors (this time coming from iMore), new iPhone 5 rumors are surmising that the upcoming device will come with a new dock plug. This time, it may be smaller to make room for the device's other components.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-57403532-248/next-iphone-rumor-lte-and-new-dock-plug-coming-this-fall/
For those who have been dissatisfied with the iPhone's usual 3.5-inch screen, Reuters reported that the new iPhone may get a bigger display, as a South Korean media outlet says Apple is putting in orders with suppliers for a 4.6-inch Retina Display. This may allow the company more room to update the chips inside the new iPhone, perhaps adding the A5X, for example.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57402126-64/iphone-to-get-4.6-inch-retina-display-report-says/
Citigroup analysts who met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer reported that Apple did not feel the need to make cheaper phones. During the meeting, Oppenheimer suggested that the company will keep making "great products," and believed customers will still be willing to pay for them. Furthermore, the iPhone 5 is rumored to offer both LTE and TDSCDMA, which is a 3G standard used in China.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57371126-37/apple-feels-no-need-to-offer-lower-cost-iphone-says-analyst/
As reported by the Chinese newspaper, Commercial Times, Apple may be going back to June as its go-to release month. Last time, the iPhone 4 was released in October, but rumor has it that the iPhone 5 may be coming to the Worldwide Developers Conference, which is scheduled for June 10 through the 15.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57370985-37/iphone-5-could-see-june-debut-at-apple-confab-report-says/
A source at Foxconn leads 9to5Mac to report that Apple is readying an iPhone with a 4-inch (or larger) display for release this summer. Apparently, the new device will retain the shape of the iPhone 4 and 4S while being longer and wider. The blog also says that Apple has a few sample devices "floating around."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-57365847-248/rumor-iphone-5-with-4-inch-screen-expected-this-summer/
Analyst Tavis McCourt of Morgan Keegan says that the iPhone 5 will arrive in the fall of this year and that it will be a "significant revenue and earnings growth driver." Keegan doesn't say how the handset will differ; perhaps it could be slimmer or have a metal back.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57351745-64/iphone-5-coming-this-fall-says-analyst/
As a follow-up to the September 28 story, both 9to5Mac and SlashGear report that a phone with the code-name N94 has been discovered in Apple's inventory system and is believed to be the iPhone 5. Information on the label also points to it being a dual-mode CDMA/GSM phone.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20113823-37/new-iphone-reportedly-spotted-in-apples-inventory/
The same 9to5Mac source who spotted new iPhone models in Apple's retail system says that a 64GB iPhone could also be in the cards. This isn't the first time we've heard talk about a higher-capacity iPhone. In mid April, Vietnamese site Tinhte posted a video of a white iPhone boasting 64GB of storage; the same site that got ahold of the iPhone 4 ahead of its official announcement.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20113938-248/rumor-of-64gb-iphone-re-emerges/
The same 9to5Mac source who spotted new iPhone models in Apple's retail system says that a 64GB iPhone could also be in the cards. This isn't the first time we've heard talk about a higher-capacity iPhone. In mid April, Vietnamese site Tinhte posted a video of a white iPhone boasting 64GB of storage; the same site that got ahold of the iPhone 4 ahead of its official announcement.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20113938-248/rumor-of-64gb-iphone-re-emerges/
A pair of stories from PC Watch in Japan and CNET France resurfaces rumors that the iPhone 5 will offer HSPA+ support, which will allow for theoretical download speeds of up to 21Mbps, and feature a larger (4.2 or 4.3 inches) 960x540-pixel qHD touch screen.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20113435-248/new-rumors-say-iphone-5-to-get-larger-screen-hspa/
There is debate over whether Apple will introduce more than one iPhone on October 5, but if 9to5Mac's tipster is right, it will be more than one. According to the source, there are two new iPhone models floating around Apple's retail system, with one possibly being an entry-level 8GB version of the iPhone 4. In addition, three new iPod Touch models were also spotted in the system.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20112893-248/new-iphones-ipods-reportedly-in-apples-retail-system/
Through a "reliable source," TUAW says the iPhone 5 will include a whopping 1GB of RAM and a voice-control system known as the Assistant.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20112107-37/iphone-5-to-offer-1gb-ram-and-voice-control/
According to AppleInsider, Apple is reportedly telling staffers at its retail stores that they can't go on vacation during the second week of October.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20111242-37/fresh-iphone-ios-5-rumors-cite-twitter-events-vacay-days/
Taiwan's DigiTimes says that Apple supplier Wintek is finding a "delayed bubble" defect in some of the iPhone 5 panels it has produced. According to the publication, though it's unknown what the defect does to the screen, it appears after touch-panel lamination and during assembly.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20110654-17/some-iphone-5-panels-have-defect-report-says/
All Things Digital predicts that Apple will debut its iPhone 5 on October 4, with new Chief Executive Tim Cook leading the show.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20109331-264/iphone-5-to-debut-oct-4-atd-says/
At the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit in South Africa, Former Vice President Al Gore and Apple board member Al Gore said, "Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20109639-94/al-gore-confirms-multiple-iphones-coming/
According to a leaked document, T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman told employees that the carrier would not carry the iPhone 5 this year.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20108974-248/t-mobile-executive-squashes-iphone-5-rumor/
J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz tells Fortune that he expects Apple to release two new iPhones before the end of the year. One will be a brand-new model with a different appearance, and the other will be a souped-up iPhone 4 model called the "iPhone 4-plus."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20108290-248/ipad-3-in-11-no-two-new-iphones-seems-so/
While chatting with French reporters at a business conference, France Telecom CEO Stephane Richard said the iPhone 5 will debut on October 15.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20106622-37/iphone-5-to-pop-oct-15-says-france-telecom-chief/
Accessory maker Case-Mate briefly posts renderings of a line of cases for a new iPhone. They suggest that the forthcoming handset will have a rounded aluminum backing, similar to the iPad 2's design. The images are quickly replaced with a generic notifications page, but Boy Genius Report managed to post them on its Web site.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20106825-248/case-mate-briefly-posts-iphone-5-case-gallery/
U.K. carrier Vodafone briefly lists the iPhone 5 on its Web site in both 16GB and 32GB editions and in black and white.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20104748-37/iphone-5-models-hinted-at-on-vodafone-web-page/
Bloomberg predicts that Sprint will not only have the new iPhone in mid-October, but also that the carrier will offer the handset with an unlimited data plan to "distinguish" it from the AT&T and Verizon models.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20103915-17/sprint-to-offer-unlimited-data-with-iphone-5/
A leaked Sprint memo informs the carrier's employees of a vacation blackout from September 30 through October 15 due to the "possibility" of a major phone launch.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20104080-233/sprint-to-launch-major-device-by-oct-15/?
Taiwan's DigiTimes cites anonymous industry sources to report that China's Foxconn Electronics, which has manufactured iPhones in the past, is currently producing 150,000 iPhone 5 units a day.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20103462-248/foxconn-said-to-be-making-150000-iphone-5s-a-day/
Beatweek says that Sprint is installing network repeaters at Apple retail stores to ensure potential iPhone 5 buyers can find a strong signal for testing the device on the carrier's cellular network.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20103293-37/sprint-reportedly-prepping-for-iphone-5
Boy Genius Report says a leaked internal document from the retailer puts the iPhone 5 launch date at sometime during the first week in October, with preorders beginning as early as the first full week of September. Sprint, too, will get the device, according to the BGR story. But wait--This Is My Next has its own leaked Best Buy info: a mysterious "Apple fixture Installation" at an unnamed Best Buy location suggests an October 21 debut for the gadget, according to the blog.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20101545-37/iphone-5-launch-date-battle-of-the-best-buy-leaks/
Tech enthusiast site M.I.C. Gadget claims that new iPhone cases being sold by online vendor Alibaba and other Chinese retailers show a slimmer design for the next version of the handset. Not only will it be as thin as an iPod Touch, but also the mute switch is moved to the other side, the overall design is wider and longer, and it will have tapered edges.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20100938-37/iphone-5-cases-evidence-of-thinner-new-phone/
Accessory maker Ideal Case posts a photo of what it says is the new antenna design for the iPhone 4S/iPhone 5. Exactly what those differences are, however, is unclear and the photos were posted without a backstory.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20099862-248/purported-iphone-4gs-antenna-sports-minor-changes/
Taiwan's DigiTimes rebuts earlier rumors that the iPhone 5 will have a 4-inch display. Instead, DigitTimes says that the new handset will keep the current touch-screen size of 3.5 inches, or will grow slightly larger to 3.7 inches. Apple will, however, adopt a design with a thinner bezel for the display panel, which would make it appear larger.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20098642-37/iphone-5-to-stick-with-smaller-screen-size/
Citing "a contact within T-Mobile," Apple tracking blog MacTrast says the U.S. carrier will be getting a version of the iPhone 5 that will run on the company's 3G network sometime in "early to mid-October.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20096766-248/t-mobile-to-get-iphone-5-as-well-report-says/
According to The Wall Street Journal, Sprint will start selling the iPhone 5 alongside Verizon Wireless and AT&T in mid-October.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20096189-94/sprint-to-sell-iphone-5-in-october-report-says/
AppleInsider says that Apple has begun production on television advertisements to promote the iPhone 5 that will run the first week of October.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20096240-233/apple-already-shooting-tv-ads-for-iphone-5-report/
A source tells TechCrunch that at least one variant of the the iPhone 5 will be a world phone with support for both CDMA and GSM networks.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20095780-37/report-iphone-5-to-be-a-dual-mode-world-phone/
Though previous rumors indicated that the iPhone 5 will have a front-facing LED flash, 9to5mac cites a leak in the parts distribution chain that suggests otherwise.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20095556-233/leak-iphone-5-will-not-have-front-facing-led-flash/
According to the Boy Genius Report, the next iPhone will launch in early October. The blog reported that an AT&T vice president has reportedly warned employees to "expect things to get really, really busy in the next 35 to 50 days, so prepare your teams accordingly."
http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20094613-85/at-t-reportedly-confirms-iphone-launch-in-october/
9To5Mac says that Apple is considering an October 7 release for the iPhone 5 with with preorders starting September 30. If that date is correct, the company would hold an unveiling event in early September.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20093442-37/iphone-5-now-rumored-to-launch-october-7/
Citing an anonymous source, Engadget reports that LTE equipment is being installed at a major Apple store. The equipment supports the 700MHz band of spectrum, which could be used by AT&T or T-Mobile.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20093142-94/apple-store-reportedly-getting-a-4g-lte-hookup/
Boy Genius Report says that at least one carrier is testing an iPhone with support for LTE networks.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20092461-233/rumor-carriers-testing-4g-lte-iphones/
Apple news and rumor site MacRumors commissioned CiccareseDesign to create mockups of the iPhone 5 based on the original leaked case designs. The renderings show a sleek handset with a 4-inch display and elongated Home button.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20091660-233/is-this-what-the-iphone-5-looks-like-macrumors-says-yes/
According to Japanese Web site Kodawarisan, Apple is planning a media event for September 7 where it will unveil its new iPod lineup and perhaps the iPhone 5. But before you clear all appointments for September 7, another report by AppleNApps says the company will hold a separate event for the occasion, where Apple will not only introduce the iPhone 5 but also a cloud-based iPhone.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20091609-37/apple-iphone-5-icloud-phone-event-set-for-sept-7/
A report by China-based Sohu.com says Apple and China Telecom have reached a "preliminary agreement" to start selling the iPhone before the end of October. And it's not just any iPhone, it's rumored to be the iPhone 5 alongside a "simplified" iPhone 4.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20088154-248/china-telecom-deal-to-include-two-new-iphones/
Taiwian's DigiTimes says that Pegatron will produce 10 million iPhone 5 units. According to an unnamed source, the handsets will ship to Apple in September, which would pave the way for a release any time after that.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20087363-17/report-apple-orders-10-million-iphone-5-units-for-september/
The Guardian (U.K.) reports that wireless carriers have received highly secure boxes with iPhone 5s that the operators are using to test network compatibility.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20087153-233/rumor-iphone-5-out-for-carrier-testing/
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