The Apple iPhone 5 is the phone that is still evoking the most rumor and speculation even if its release is still some time away and one of the things that most are asking is when will that release be? Although much of the speculation has been about a June or July release it now appears that a fall launch for the iPhone 5 is more likely, just in time for the holiday season.

Last year many people were surprised when the iPhone 4S (that most thought would be called the iPhone 5) did not arrive until the fall instead of the traditional summer launch. However, although iPhones have customarily been launched around a year apart suggesting an iPhone 5 this fall, there has already been a lot of talk this year that the traditional summer launch of an iPhone would return. A lot of the speculation surrounded Apple’s WWDC, traditionally in June, as being when the sixth-generation iPhone 5 might be unveiled. Now we have heard that not only is a fall iPhone 5 debut more likely but also that Apple is considering staying with a fall release for future iPhones too.

The news came from Japanese blog Macotakara citing a “reliable source” as reported by Apple Insider. The blog maintains that the iPhone 5 is heading for release in September or October 2012 and that Apple will stick to this release cycle, at least for some years. In actual fact considering sales of the iPhone 4S it makes sense for Apple to stick to a fall release for future iPhones from now on.

When the iPhone 4S was introduced there was a certain amount of disappointment that it wasn’t in fact an ‘iPhone 5’ as though its future success was all in the name. Many analysts and industry insiders thought that this might impact sales in a negative way, despite the fact that the phone was still an upgrade from the current iPhone at the time, the iPhone 4. However, it soon became apparent that Apple had hit gold by releasing the iPhone 4S shortly before the holiday season as it hit record sales that nobody had anticipated. In Apple’s December quarter the iPhone 4S achieved sales of 37 million, a perfectly good reason for the iPhone 5 to also come out in the fall.

Another thing to consider is that the iPhone 4S is still realizing extraordinary sales and so to shorten the optimum amount of time for those sales by bringing out a new iPhone in the summer might not be a wise move on Apple’s part. MacRumors also tells about the Macotakara report and adds that it has heard from a representative of an iPhone parts supplier. This leaked information was that a release of new hardware in September is suggested from Apple’s ordering plans, backing up this report further.

The secrecy that surrounds new Apple products is almost legendary so nothing regarding a release date, or in fact anything else, can be confirmed at the present time. However if you’re hoping for an iPhone 5 release this summer it might be wise to acknowledge that a release in the fall looks more probable at this time.

As usual we welcome your thoughts on this. Send us your comments to let us know if you think a fall release for the iPhone 5 makes more senses for Apple, and for consumers? Maybe you purchased the iPhone 4S and would be disappointed if the iPhone 5 turned up only 8 or 9 months later?

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