With just a day left before Apple’s iPhone press event, all ears are listening out for information about the next-generation iPhone 5 that will be announced during Apple’s October 4 press event.
Sorry. Unless Steve Jobs magically pulls a rabbit — I mean, Apple iPhone 5 — out of his hat, don’t expect a newly designed iPhone 5 with the rumored teardrop design to be unveiled at Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event on Tuesday. According to our sources, the company will show off an iPhone 4S — a device that keeps the same exterior as the iPhone 4 but has updated specs including a faster A5 processor, better 8MP camera and Assistant Voice Recognition.
While expectations are at an all-time high for an ultra-capable iPhone 5 that will blow the onslaught of increasingly alluring Android devices out of the water, we can firmly report that an iPhone 4S might be the only “flagship” iPhone device Apple announces during Tuesday’s event. Other blogs are also reporting the same news:
“Today, rumors of a re-design can essentially be put to rest,” reports 9to5mac, noting several references to a CDMA iPhone 4S that appeared in the most recent iTunes developer beta.
Gizmodo’s Brazilian sister site Gizmodo.com.br took “exclusive pictures” of a new iPhone in Foxconn’s Brazilian factory which — wait for it — looks exactly like the iPhone 4 but is allegedly the cheaper, next generation iPhone 4S (code named N90A/N94).
Other sites, however, are basically reporting their facts based on news from Radio Shack, carrier websites and iPhone cases… Oh, sure, terrific “insider sources…”
Engadget has a screenshot of Radio Shack’s forthcoming iPhone 5 inventory, and TUAW reports that placeholders for both an iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S briefly appeared on the website of regional US carrier Cincinnati Bell (who?!).
According to the Cincinnati Bell website screenshots, the iPhone 5 32GB will feature an 8MP camera, a 4″ screen and 4G Data Speeds (HSPA+) and a price tag of $639.99. A second screenshot pictures an iPhone 4S 16GB with a 5MP camera, 3.5″ screen and an updated A5 processor for a price of $99.99.
MacRumors has put together a breakdown of Apple’s possible iPhone releases according to the rumors circling the web — which matches our information. It includes an iPhone 4 with reduced storage capacity which will replace Apple’s current low-end offering the 3GS, an iPhone 4S with an A5 processor and the current iPhone 4 design, and a flagship iPhone 5 which could feature a MacBook Air-inspired tapered design and a 4″ screen.
MacRumors adds that “[t]he most recent rumors suggest that the iPhone 4 will become the low end iPhone, while the ‘iPhone 4S’ will become the top of the line. There has been no evidence that the tapered iPhone 5 design is actually in production.”
Apple’s “Let’s Talk iPhone” event will be held at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California on October 4.
