'It's almost here:' Apple announces 'iPhone 5' event for Sept. 12
Apple on Tuesday sent out invitations to members of the press, officially announcing it will hold an event next Wednesday, Sept. 12, where it is expected to introduce its next-generation iPhone.
The invitations sent out read "It's almost here," with a large number 12. Below the date of the event is a shadow cast with a number "5," implying the unveiling of Apple's next-generation iPhone, the successor to the iPhone 4S.
The event will be held next Wednesday at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Calif. AppleInsider will have full, live coverage.
Word first surfaced in July that Apple was planning to hold a special event on Sept. 12 to unveil its next-generation iPhone. It's expected that the new handset will go on sale just over a week later, on Sept. 21.
The new iPhone is expected to be a completely redesigned handset with a larger 4-inch screen. Numerous leaked parts have shown a device with a slightly taller display, as well as a two-toned metal back.
Leaked parts have also shown that the new device will retain the hardware home screen button that has been on every iPhone to date, while the forward-facing FaceTime camera will be centered above the earpiece. The parts have also shown that the headphone jack will be moved to the bottom of the device, while the next-generation iPhone is also expected to feature a smaller 9-pin dock connector.
Though the device is not expected to feature a near-field communications chip for e-wallet functionality, it will presumably run Apple's next-generation iOS 6 operating system with the new Passbook application, which will serve as a digital wallet with event tickets, boarding passes, store cards and more.
Preorders of the new iPhone are expected to begin the same day the handset is unveiled next week. The list of launch countries for the iPhone 4S last year included the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Australia, while other international markets followed soon after.

Though last year's iPhone 4S was the fastest roll-out ever, this year Apple could potentially face more constraints of the so-called iPhone 5. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that one of Apple's major LCD suppliers, Sharp, had not yet begun shipping displays for Apple's next iPhone because of "manufacturing difficulties." That and other reports have prompted speculation that availability of the new iPhone could be limited at launch.
While the new iPhone is expected to be unveiled next week, rumors have suggested the unveiling will be only the start of a big fall product lineup for Apple. One report last month from All Things D "confirmed" that the company is also planning to hold an event in October to introduce a new, smaller iPad with a 7.85-inch display.

In fact, the iPhone 5 and so-called iPad mini are said to be just two of eight new products that Apple has planned for the holiday 2012 shopping season. The company is also expected to launch a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, a new iPod touch with a larger 4-inch screen, a redesigned iPod nano with Wi-Fi connectivity and iTunes access, two new iMac models in the 21.5- and 27-inch class sizes, and even a tweaked third-generation iPad with the new, smaller dock connector that will be found on the next iPhone.
The invitations sent out read "It's almost here," with a large number 12. Below the date of the event is a shadow cast with a number "5," implying the unveiling of Apple's next-generation iPhone, the successor to the iPhone 4S.
The event will be held next Wednesday at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, Calif. AppleInsider will have full, live coverage.
Word first surfaced in July that Apple was planning to hold a special event on Sept. 12 to unveil its next-generation iPhone. It's expected that the new handset will go on sale just over a week later, on Sept. 21.
The new iPhone is expected to be a completely redesigned handset with a larger 4-inch screen. Numerous leaked parts have shown a device with a slightly taller display, as well as a two-toned metal back.
Leaked parts have also shown that the new device will retain the hardware home screen button that has been on every iPhone to date, while the forward-facing FaceTime camera will be centered above the earpiece. The parts have also shown that the headphone jack will be moved to the bottom of the device, while the next-generation iPhone is also expected to feature a smaller 9-pin dock connector.
Though the device is not expected to feature a near-field communications chip for e-wallet functionality, it will presumably run Apple's next-generation iOS 6 operating system with the new Passbook application, which will serve as a digital wallet with event tickets, boarding passes, store cards and more.
Preorders of the new iPhone are expected to begin the same day the handset is unveiled next week. The list of launch countries for the iPhone 4S last year included the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Australia, while other international markets followed soon after.

Though last year's iPhone 4S was the fastest roll-out ever, this year Apple could potentially face more constraints of the so-called iPhone 5. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that one of Apple's major LCD suppliers, Sharp, had not yet begun shipping displays for Apple's next iPhone because of "manufacturing difficulties." That and other reports have prompted speculation that availability of the new iPhone could be limited at launch.
While the new iPhone is expected to be unveiled next week, rumors have suggested the unveiling will be only the start of a big fall product lineup for Apple. One report last month from All Things D "confirmed" that the company is also planning to hold an event in October to introduce a new, smaller iPad with a 7.85-inch display.

In fact, the iPhone 5 and so-called iPad mini are said to be just two of eight new products that Apple has planned for the holiday 2012 shopping season. The company is also expected to launch a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, a new iPod touch with a larger 4-inch screen, a redesigned iPod nano with Wi-Fi connectivity and iTunes access, two new iMac models in the 21.5- and 27-inch class sizes, and even a tweaked third-generation iPad with the new, smaller dock connector that will be found on the next iPhone.
Comments
Guess it might be called the iPhone 5 after all.
Edit: removed pic as the story was updated to include it.
I guess Tallest Skill is eating some humble pie about now.
It's OBVIOUS that this will be called the iPhone 6. Ignore the "5" shadow.
Originally Posted by RichL
I guess Tallest Skill is eating some humble pie about now.
Why? Come the frick off it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Originally Posted by RichL
I guess Tallest Skill is eating some humble pie about now.
Why? Come the frick off it.
Will you at least stop editing people's posts by inserting your own wishful thinking about the name?
I really want it to be the iPhone 5 just to annoy the people who have been that anal about the naming structure.
Just like MSFT tablet : almost there ... but MSFT would not dare ....
Because you've been so insistent. You even insulted me once because I didn't agree with you.
It's possible that they still may not officially call it that, but this is an acknowledgment of which model it is.
And I'd like to remind everyone, that Apple has always just named the iPhone "iPhone", even if they have referred to them by number. Just look at the back.
Looks like it may be called iPhone 5
If it is iPhone 5, I'm glad they are carrying on with the numbering.
Originally Posted by quinney
Will you at least stop editing people's posts by inserting your own wishful thinking about the name?
I'm not inserting anything about the name. I change it to the right generation. I also don't edit their posts.
Originally Posted by melgross
…this is an acknowledgment of which model it is.
But it isn't. Only internally is it anything "5". And then the iPhone 4 was internally 3.
I was insistent about "iPhone 6" until this year's iPad came out, and for that I apologize, but I don't see a reason to apologize for backing "6th iPhone" thereafter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KPOM
It's OBVIOUS that this will be called the iPhone 6. Ignore the "5" shadow.
Kind of implies rather strongly that the A6 processor was not ready for prime time and that this will still be a 5x one instead. Lame.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Why? Come the frick off it.
Dude! You kept it as your signature for MONTHS. You should expect a little flack for it now. I didn't (and still don't) believe it ever would be called 5, but out there in the big world it's been referred to as '5' so it's not out of the realm.
Yep. We're going to need a new moderator after TS' head explodes.
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Kind of implies rather strongly that the A6 processor was not ready for prime time and that this will still be a 5x one instead. Lame.
Or that they're doing what they've done twice in the past and are giving it the iPad's processor from earlier in the year. "A6" would've been great, but the past two models have been that year's iPad's chip.
Originally Posted by thataveragejoe
You kept it as your signature for MONTHS.
THAT'S what it was! I couldn't for the life of me remember. Thanks for that.
You should expect a little flack for it now.
And sure! Nothing wrong with people doing that to me if they do decide to call it a name it isn't, but I'm not going to be apologizing for knowing how to count.
Or the shadow refers to the 5th generation and not actual name. One thing I don't understand is that if they have more than one supplier of these next generation displays and one is having problems manufacturing it, what are they doing wrong? How come the others aren't having issues?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Kind of implies rather strongly that the A6 processor was not ready for prime time and that this will still be a 5x one instead. Lame.
Not necessarily. The 4S has an A5 processor and runs iOS 5. So why can't the iPhone 5 have an A6 processor and run iOS 6?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas
Guess it might be called the iPhone 5 after all.
Edit: removed pic as the story was updated to include it.
I like to think the 5 stands for 5 new products
But of course it will be call iphone 5, if Apple was using "generation" to name phones they would have called the 4s the 5s...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Originally Posted by quinney
Will you at least stop editing people's posts by inserting your own wishful thinking about the name?
I'm not inserting anything about the name. I change it to the right generation. I also don't edit their posts.
Such disingenuous weaseling is not going to fool anyone (except possibly yourself). You frequently edit people's posts when you quote them.
Everyone who frequents this site has seen your gasbaggery over the name of the next iPhone. Own it.