Apple Gearing Up for iPhone 5 Production Ahead of Summer Launch? [Updated]

[Richdmoore]

I think I am in the minority, but I really would like the iPhone to stay the current size, maybe with a larger edge to edge screen, but keeping the same general unit size.

The larger android phones look almost too big to me to fit comfortably into many shirt, jacket, or pant pockets. If the new iPhone goes this direction, I will probably wait until someone else gets one and then "borrow" it to make sure it is not too big.

 

[Ajones330]

If Apple release the next iPhone in the summer, what will they announce in the fall?
iPods are no longer significant enough on their own, to warrant a standalone event.
Here's how I see the mobile rollout strategy:

Spring: iPad.
Summer: WWDC & new iOS.
Fall: iPhone and iOS release(feat. iPods).

We hear they have new products in the pipeline...

 

[Michael Scrip]

According to most people, if you don't buy the new iPhone during its first month, it's deemed old.

I got my iPhone 4S in December... 2 months after it was launched. It doesn't feel old to me!

People seem to forget that 2-year contracts run out every single day of the year.

You might be eligible for a new phone in April... while your neighbor is eligible in November.

 

[deconstruct60]

I call B.S. This isn't going to launch in the summer. Aren't they still waiting for LTE chips?

The Qualcomm 9615 was suppose to start sampling late 2011.
"... Samples of the MDM9615, MDM8215, WTR1605 and PM8018 are anticipated to be available in late 2011. ... "
http://www.qualcomm.com/media/relea...-market-ltedc-hspa-chipsets-mobile-broadband-

Even if January that is still 6 months to field test and tweak a design before lighting up factories in mid-late July with final version.

Some reports placed it coming in Q2 2012.

" .Qualcomm's current roadmaps show the 28nm MDM9615 arriving in Q2 2012 ... But next year (Q2 to be exact) should be when we can finally get LTE into something iPhone-sized. ... "
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4925/why-no-lte-iphone-5-blame-28nm-maturity


Depending upon how high the demand is for these and what kind of yield TMSC (or whoever is the fab for these) is getting Apple could need more time to ramp up to a launch inventory because only getting a limited amount of these. Or Apple is using "supply chain" clout to locked up the bulk of the initial supply (e.g., "store and inventory" much of the initial 9615 supply so other phones can't launch in volume before iPhone using it. )

There is a catch 22 with iPhone volume and distributors groing larger each year. It gets harder to meet the initial demand spike as the phone launches. If the US soaks up worldwide production for 3 months then the launches in other countries slide back 3 months. If Apple has to launch in more and more countries then at some point can't get them all done in a year if keep sliding dates back by 3, 5, 6 months. Because the initial hump is so large they need a larger run-up to launch. It would make sense to start making them as soon as could get some 9615's even if that initially isn't enough to meet projected monthly demands. They use that initial flow to build up inventory so that can launch sooner than waiting for 9615 to reach maximum steady-state production.

 

[chrmjenkins]

your logic is flawed because look at the iPhone 3G... 2nd iPhone has the long awaited 3G network capability and they name it that, not the iPhone 2

they'll most likely call the next iPhone : iPhone LTE .. I would say iPhone 4G but the average consumer calls the iPhone 4 the iPhone 4G

at this point it's really hard to say what they'll call it, but whatever they call it we'll be able to better guess future phones.

Apple may stay away from 4G branding given how they advertised the iPhone 4S's data speeds. If you remember, in the unveil, they acknowledged the various things other carriers were calling "4G" and just said "Well, look at our great data speeds." Similarly, if they brand it iPhone LTE, what does that say to the many Americans (and many more overseas) who can't get LTE service?

 

[jamesarm97]

I really hope the screen size doesn't get bigger, but many people seem to be falling for "bigger is better." Apple probably needs to increase the screen size to "compete," which is unfortunate for two reasons:

1: I don't want to carry a brick around in my pocket.

2: Dustin Curtis makes a good point about the screen size and usability of 3.5" vs bigger screens (http://dcurt.is/2011/10/03/3-point-5-inches/):

I second that. I can't help but laugh every time my friend gets his phone out. It is so huge. I was watching Person of Interest last week and the detective had this huge phone she was using. Looked silly and uncomfortable. If I want bigger, I will just use my iPad.

 

[lordofthereef]

Why would Microsoft call the EIGHTH windows release Windows 7?

They are likely not considering 3.5 and 3.51 (both codenamed Daytona) as two separate versions of Windows. Just a guess, but it makes sense to me, anyway.

 

[sparks05]

iPhone Mini

You know what would be nice to see this year? an iPhone Mini . . . Let's get something smaller, too!

 

[bbbb4b]

I have always said that "teardrop" shape is a no-go. (I could, of course be wrong).
There is too mush functionality (apps, etc) built into the iPhone having the capability to be stood up on it's flat, uniform edge. (horizontal or vertical)

 

[coolfactor]

This would be perfect timing for when my current contract is up in August. Bring it on!

 

[sk1wbw]

I'd love to see versions of the iPhone. One like it is with the 3.5" screen dubbed the "iPhone One" or something like that. Then another one with a 4 to 5" screen and a beefed up spec sheet dubbed the "iPhone Pro", that way the iPhone would fall in line with the laptop naming scheme like Macbook and Macbook Pro.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Seems way too early to be ramping up for a summer release product. Not buying the story. The iPhone has replaced the iPod as Apple's major fall release. I don't expect to see a new iPhone until Sep/Oct.

 

[mutantteenager]

I look forward to all the back-peddling and justification of why an incremental revision is soooo good!

 

[toddybody]

Hey MacRumors, how about some Mac Rumors once in a while?

 

[iMaconApple]

All we can do is wait................#############

 

[mayhone1]

Blah, Blah, Blah, iphone this, iphone that, when are they going to release a new iMac or Mac Pros for that matter.

 

[groupersandwich]

Please oh please let it come out this summer. My Droid X is on it's last leg and my VZW contract is up in May. Papa needs an iPhone 5!

 

[crazysword]

The 4S is selling extremelly well, why would Apple want to release a new phone so soon?

Uhmm.. The Samsung G2 HD has much better specs than the 4S, and was released months before.

Apple doesn't like other phones having better specs so they aren't going to just hold off for the heck of it when a design is ready to go.

 

[spazzcat]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

I think the 4S delay was deliberate to shift the iPhone release to Fall. With the iPod waning in popularity, Apple needed a new device for the holiday season. Plus, with a March release for the iPad, they have a good 6 months to engineer the new iPad features into the smaller iPhone.

I agree, we find out what iOS6 will have in the summer and get it on a new phone in the fall.

 

[firewood]

Why would Apple call the SIXTH iPhone release iPhone 5??

If they do, it's likely because some marketing study says that this naming will allow the largest profits to smallest marketing costs ratio.

And most of the target customer base could not care less about how many hundreds of models of whatever that Apple released over a year ago.

 

[spazzcat]

Hey MacRumors, how about some Mac Rumors once in a while?

There will be a new Mac, it will have a faster processer in it, someday. Apple's bread and butter isn't Macs anymore, there will not be much changes in them other then spec upgrades....

 

[Bboywake]

So I guess maybe I'm off my rocker because everyone keeps talking about the iPhone 5, but if they stick with the correct naming for their phones wouldn't it be called the iPhone 6, being the 6th phone? I see no reason for them to call it the iPhone 5, since it will not be their 5th phone. The iPhone 4 was the 4th phone, the 5 would have to be the 5th phone, but with the Original, 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S, that would make their next iPhone the 6th...

 

[spazzcat]

So I guess maybe I'm off my rocker because everyone keeps talking about the iPhone 5, but if they stick with the correct naming for their phones wouldn't it be called the iPhone 6, being the 6th phone? I see no reason for them to call it the iPhone 5, since it will not be their 5th phone. The iPhone 4 was the 4th phone, the 5 would have to be the 5th phone, but with the Original, 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S, that would make their next iPhone the 6th...

We have to call it something, until Apple tells us what it is, it's just as easy to call it iPhone 5.

 

[chrmjenkins]

Hey MacRumors, how about some Mac Rumors once in a while?

What do you want them to do? Invent Mac rumor stories? They can only report on stuff they are sent/read/etc.

 

[mutantteenager]

Image

Neither of these workers looks suicidal, maybe they'll deliver early?