iPhone 5 slated for September or October?
The latest in a series of rumors points to the next iPhone reaching the consumer market in October, sources tell AllThingsD, contradicting another recent rumor eyeing late September.
Dueling rumors about the iPhone 5 now point to a new edition of Apple's flagship as launching either in late September or in October, take your pick.
Rumor No. 1 is calling for the iPhone's debut in late September, according to Gizmodo, which cited an e-mail allegedly from an AT&T employee.
In the e-mail, the employee said that AT&T is denying any vacations requested during the last two weeks of September "due to an event blackout." The person claims that the only time this is done is during an iPhone release.
The folks at Gizmodo say this time frame jibes with previous rumors, but as with all such rumors, people should take them with huge spoonfuls of salt.
Rumor No. 2 instead is pointing to an October launch date.
In a story meant to squash the AT&T employee e-mail report, AllThingsD quoted its own source who said "I don't know why AT&T's calling for all hands on deck those weeks, but it's not for an iPhone launch." The source "with knowledge of the plans" offered no other details beyond pegging October for the iPhone's unveiling.
As the next-generation iPhone gears up for its expected launch, the rumor mill has been heating up even more intensely. A story last week from China Times claimed that Apple is prepping to release the phone in the second week of September. At the same time, another story said that Apple and AT&T were both gearing up their employees for a possible September iPhone launch.
Though it seems likely that a new iPhone will debut this fall, exactly when it will appear is still anybody's guess. Those of you curious about the ongoing timeline of iPhone rumors can check out CNET's iPhone rumor roundup.