Reuters news service reported the story Wednesday, citing three people "familiar with the matter" as sources. The report didn't describe the new model in detail, except to say that it will look similar to the popular iPhone 4 and have a faster processor.
Production in July or August?
Other reports have indicated that the processor will be a faster A5, and that the new model will have a larger screen, an improved antenna design, and an eight-megapixel camera on the back.
The Reuters report also said production will begin in July or August. Apple uses Taiwan-based suppliers for most of the parts, including module maker Largan Precision, touchscreen manufacturer Wintek, and case maker Foxconn. Some parts also come from Japan, and there has been speculation that the earthquake, tidal wave, and nuclear crises in that country could impact the supply chain.
The iPhone 5 report comes on the heels of two videos posted on the web that purport to show the long-rumored white iPhone running a test version of iOS.
A Vietnamese site, tinhte.vn, posting two videos of what purports to be a development version of a white iPhone. The site, whose credibility was enhanced when it posted early reports of a pre-release iPhone 4, said the videos show a "test version" of iOS. Some observers have speculated that Apple will release a white iPhone 4, then the iPhone 5.
New iOS?
A persistent rumor has been that Apple's next iOS version will include enhanced cloud-based services and functionality. An updated iOS is expected to be shown at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
The iOS shown in the videos has a multitasking menu instead of icons for apps, and a window is finger-tapped to fill a screen. The Settings menu shown in one of the videos indicates a 64GB of storage. Some observers have speculated that the new iOS is version 5, while others suggest it might be an update to iOS 4.
This peek at what could to be a newer iOS follows the release of a new survey indicating that Apple's platform, contrary to recent reports, is leading Android in the U.S.
The report, from tracking firm comScore, shows that the iOS platform has a combined reach of 37.9 million users among all mobile phones, tablets and other connected media devices. This beats users of Android devices by 59 percent. The Android total is 23.8 million users of smartphones and such connected media devices as the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Al Hilwa, program director for application development at IDC, said that, when you factor in the several kinds of devices available with iOS and the head start iOS had over Android, it's "not surprising" that Apple's platform is larger in the U.S.
As for the speculation that Apple will launch an expanded cloud strategy this year, Hilwa expects that, in addition to specific services to consumers, Apple could be planning to offer a cloud-based platform for use by developers. This, he noted, would support Apple's app offerings and give the company another major revenue stream.