Network stock recall tips iPhone 5 for 12 September launch

iPhone 5 - set to join the family
iPhone 5 - set to join the family

Telefonica, which owns the O2 network, is reportedly set to begin scaling back iPhone stock in advance of "the launch of a new smartphone" on 12 September.

That new smartphone, it stands to reason, is the much-discussed but never once confirmed iPhone 5, with the stock recall tip coming from an anonymous network employee.

The iPhone 5 release date has swung from June 2011 to early 2012 and back again, but speculation does seem to have settled in a middling point around the September/October 2011 time.

Hype machine

Traditionally, Apple launches its iPhone upgrades in June at WWDC, but this year's show brought only iOS 5, with nary a wider touchscreen or slimmer chassis in sight.

After the WWDC no-show, the speculation over the iPhone 5's release date has become almost as absurd as the seemingly endless patent disputes being slung back and forth between Apple and various other smartphone and tablet manufacturers.

Say what you like about the rumours, though, we like September for an iPhone 5 launch. We're not sold on 12 September as the release date, but we'd say there's some credence to this particular network-led rumour.

Rumourometer

From Engadget

We'll while away the time before September speculating about what Apple should and shouldn't shoe-horn into the new iPhone. Here's our thinking to date:

TOPICS
News Editor (UK)

Former UK News Editor for TechRadar, it was a perpetual challenge among the TechRadar staff to send Kate (Twitter, Google+) a link to something interesting on the internet that she hasn't already seen. As TechRadar's News Editor (UK), she was constantly on the hunt for top news and intriguing stories to feed your gadget lust. Kate now enjoys life as a renowned music critic – her words can be found in the i Paper, Guardian, GQ, Metro, Evening Standard and Time Out, and she's also the author of 'Amy Winehouse', a biography of the soul star.

Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Hands on
I'm actually glad the new Siri with Apple Intelligence is delayed, and here's why we've got Apple's AI problem backwards
The iPhone 16 Pro on a grey background
iPhone 17 Pro tipped to get 8K video recording – but I want these 3 video features instead
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 Air looks impressively slim in this new comparison image, but that just makes me more worried about the specs
iPhone 16 Pro Desert Titanium in hand
I think the rumored iPhone 17 Pro redesign looks great – but is it Apple enough?
Apple iPhone 16 Review
New iPhone 17 report lends weight to rumors of major display and camera upgrades, and a pricey Apple foldable
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Latest in News
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Rennovations
Disney’s giving a classic Buzz Lightyear ride a tech overhaul – here's everything you need to know
Hisense U8 series TV on wall in living room
Hisense announces 2025 mini-LED TV lineup, with screen sizes up to 100 inches – and a surprising smart TV switch
Nintendo Music teaser art
Nintendo Music expands its library with songs from Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Tetris
Opera AI Tabs
Opera's new AI feature brings order to your browser tab chaos
An image of Pro-Ject's Flatten it closed and opened
Pro-Ject’s new vinyl flattener will fix any warped LPs you inadvertently buy on Record Store Day
The iPhone 16 Pro on a grey background
iPhone 17 Pro tipped to get 8K video recording – but I want these 3 video features instead