Rumor: iOS 4.3 to hit in mid-December

Just as I updated my iPhone 4 to iOS 4.2.1 this morning, MacStories reported that a "reliable source" claims iOS 4.3 will be available in mid-December, adding support for the Apple/News Corp. joint, iPad-only app, The Daily.

This source tells MacStories: "Apple was already planning to release a new build of iOS 4.x in mid-December. Most specifically, they were planning for an iOS 4.3 release on December 13th, which is a Monday."

The source claims that Apple had to push back the initial iOS 4.2 release because of Wi-Fi issues, but that the iOS 4.3 update had always been planned for mid-December.

This rumor could make some sense, given that Daring Fireball's John Gruber reports that The Daily could be available as soon as December 9, though the following week is much more likely. Of course, the rumor could be pure speculation, only based on the assumption that The Daily will require and iOS update.

I'm more likely to believe the latter. In reading the remainder of the MacStories rumor, it's clear this "reliable source" does little to add to speculation already covered about The Daily and has no other insight to the content of iOS 4.3 with the exception of saying that it will "include bug fixes and maintenance of the code. It's likely that 4.3 will also address the initial issues found in AirPlay, but we can't confirm this just yet."

Will iOS 4.3 appear this December? Leave me your thoughts in the comments!