iPhone 5 to be revealed on 6 June?

The next Apple iPhone could be announced on 6 June. That'll be D-Day for the iPhone 5 if Apple is revealed to be behind a mysterious meeting this summer. 

Apple traditionally announces new iPhones at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference: the iPhone 3G in 2008, 3GS in 2009 and iPhone 4 in 2010. WWDC takes place in early June at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, and there's a mysterious booking for 5-9 June 2011 that could well be Apple-shaped.

Each previous announcement was on the Monday of WWDC, which leads scurrilous rumourmongers such as ourselves -- and an analyst quoted by ComputerWorld -- to speculate that Monday 6 June will be the big day for the iPhone 5. Or iPhone 4S. Or iPhone Whatever It's Called.

The version of the iPhone 4 now being sold on the Verizon network in the US may contain hints at the iPhone 5 design. The Verizon phone contains a Qualcomm Gobi chip, which allows devices to be used on different types of network around the world. The plan must surely be to make one device that can handle both GSM and CDMA networks, rather than producing different devices for Verizon and AT&T and international networks.

The Verizon version features a redesigned antenna which may help solve the problem of the 4's so-called 'death grip' when the next generation of iPhone arrives.

Other possible features include NFC contactless payment. Hints have also been spotted in updates to the iOS operating system, and from crocodile-rockin', Saturday night fightin' pop leg-end Elton John.

If Apple sticks to the annual cycle for other products, a second version of the iPad will be announced in April.