iPhone 5 Release Date: Hitting Stores October 14?
Reports have now surfaced regarding the impending iPhone 5's expected release date, which is being touted to be Oct. 14th or 15th.
Ever since news of the iPhone 5 and its rumored Oct. 4 debut have hit the Internet, a host of other rumors have since spread. Apple Insider is reporting that Apple has been denying employee vacation requests for two periods in the month of October. This move lends legitimacy to the rumor that Apple is selling the phone then and expecting high customer demand. Apple is also said to holding its upcoming iPhone media event on its Cupertino, California campus.
Some sources point to smartphone suppliers and carrier memos that also revealed these October dates. But it also seems that Apple’s own stores and employees are the possible sources of all this leaked information.
AppleCare divisions have reportedly been told by Apple to prepare for an large influx of inquiries on the iOS and iPhone 5 models. During these October periods, Twitter has reportedly scheduled a developer conference that will explain its planned integration with iOS 5. This public meeting, that will possibly discuss the iOS 5 APIs and technologies, points to the social media website having access to the new iOS. Oracle OpenWorld 2011, which runs from Oct. 2-6, may have taken the space that Apple might have chosen for their press conference and new technology reveal.
Two new iPhones are said to be on the way this fall: a $99 handset similar to the iPhone 4 (referred to as the "iPhone 4s") and the iPhone 5 itself.
Oct. 9-12 and Oct. 14-15 have been rumored at the two periods by industry insiders. The first period is expected to see the release of iOS 5 for current iOS device users while the second period will mark the official release of the iPhone 5, 10 days after the device's rumored announcement date of Oct. 4.
The mid-October date periods are similar to Apple's previous iOS and iPhone release date periods. 2009 saw the iOS3/iPhone 3 release from June 17-21 while 2010 saw the iOS4/iPhone 4 release on June 21-24.
