Earlier this month, we reported and responded to claims that the iPhone 5 might not be released until fall. Now, it seems that new reports are suggesting that, while iPhone 5 will not be released at WWDC, it will still be launched later in the same month.
According to the report, which comes to us from Korean news site ETNews.co.kr, Apple is planning to release the iPhone 5 during the 4th week of June. According to the report:
iPhone 5, the next model of iPhone 4, will be released on the coming 4th week of June. In the midst of the iPhone 5 postponement rumors, Apple has confirmed that iPhone 5 will be released as planned and it will be released simultaneously in Korea through SK Telecom and KT.
Apple has traditionally released new models of the iPhone at it’s annual Worldwide Developer’s Conference, which is typically scheduled for early June. This establishes a predictable yearly release cycle for new iPhone hardware, which is convenient in part because a large number of people are eligible to renew their contracts with an “early upgrade” to obtain the phone at less than retail after 1 year.
What’s somewhat curious about the report is that ETNews, rather than citing a source, seems to be implying that Apple – even Steve Jobs himself, have confirmed this information.
While I am still inclined to think that the iPhone 5 will indeed await us sometime this June, I question the credulity of the ETNews report in that Steve Jobs typically does not openly reveal this type of information. Also interesting is that the story was published on April 1st.
I, for one, will suspend judgement on this report until more information surfaces – there are enough reasons to doubt it’s credibility that a separated and agnostic stance on the matter seems to be the most wise.
What are your thoughts? Sound off in the comments!
