According to the latest rumors, Telefonica, parent company of UK wireless carrier O2, will soon begin decreasing their current stock of iPhones. The report also claims that Telefonica expects the iPhone 5 to be released on September 12.
Telefonica will also reportedly be removing their current iPhone 4 signage and replace it with signage for the upcoming iPhone 5. The rumor is based on reports that Telefonica is sending a notice to their employees, an extract of which is as follows:
The following is to advise that we are removing the old iPhone unitary between the 22nd August and the 12th September. This is a 3 week programme which will see all iPhone unitary swapped out for new iPhone unitary, and will of course prepare us for the launch of the new smart phone. At the same time we are installing an International Favourites bay to stores that can accommodate the unit, as well as replacing the existing magazine stand with a new freestanding stand.
This conflicts with recent rumors from typically credible sources that suggested that the iPhone 5 would become available on October 7, with pre-orders for the new device beginning on September 30.
While it’s not clear whether O2 has specific information relating to the release of the next-gen iPhone, this should at least be taken as a tell-tale sign that a new model of the iPhone will be released relatively soon, as we already know.
With the numerous conflicting rumors circulating regarding the release of Apple’s next iPhone, it’s difficult to know which source to trust. We’ll keep you informed with the latest information, so keep your eyes peeled – the next month or so is bound to get pretty exciting.