The iPhone 5 News Blog

Today, Apple will reveal the fifth generation iPhone 5, marking a 15-month wait for the elusive iPhone 5. Follow this article throughout the day for real-time updates on the Apple iPhone 5 media event.

October 4th may come to represent one of the most cathartic Apple product announcements ever — the launch of the fifth generation iPhone. Newly-appointed Apple CEO Tim Cook will make his first major on-stage PR performance today at 10:00 am PST on Apple’s own corporate campus in Cupertino, CA to a packed house of journalists in what promises to be a monumentous fifth chapter in the ever-escalating success story of the iPhone.

Dubbed the “iPhone 5″ by tech media and enthusiasts alike, this iPhone iteration brings with it a level of anticipation and mystery that no other iPhone model — or smartphone, for that matter — has enjoyed since the launch of the smartphone market segment in mobile computing and telephony. The landmark sales success of the iPhone 4 has launched the iPhone brand to a point where tech analysts believe that 41% of all mobile phone users — and 35% of the population overall — will eventually come to purchase an iPhone 5.

But while many people are certain that they’ll purchase an iPhone 5, little is confirmed about what to expect from its features, its official name, and even if there will be two new iPhones instead of one.

The Summer has been filled with a series of conflicting reports that claim the next iPhone will either sport a larger touch screen, new look and form factor, or keep the current screen size and chassis of the iPhone 4. Because of the inconclusiveness of the rumors, as well as Apple’s trademark silence about its new iPhone developments, no one in the media knows for sure what to expect from the iPhone 5. For this reason there is even speculation that the next iPhone could be called “iPhone 4S” if it turns out to be a refresh of the current iPhone 4, or even “iPhone 4G” if the next iPhone becomes the first to feature 4G LTE technology.

There are even rumors that Apple could reveal two new iPhones for the first time ever, boasting a totally redesigned, “pro” model iPhone 5, together with a lesser-equipped iPhone 4S.

What is certain about the next iPhone is that it will become Apple’s flagship mobile device for launching its audacious, new operating system, iOS 5, as well as iCloud — a cloud computing platform that will allow Apple users to easily share and access their data, photos, files, music, videos, and more on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer, thus creating an “Apple ecosystem” that could make owning a suite of Apple products irresistable for tech enthusiasts.

iOS 5 also proves to deliver a groundbreaking new user interface, with credible rumors that its new Assistant voice-activated technology will allow users to control virtually every facet of their iPhone with intuitive, user-friendly voice commands (that actually work, unlike much of the voice-activated technology on the market today).

While much is known about the iPhone 5′s expected software features — iOS 5′s beta version was launched at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) in June of this year — most of the biggest question marks remain about its hardware features. We know that Apple will equip the iPhone 5 with its new A5 chip — currently used in the iPad 2 — and very well may include an 8-megapixel camera; advanced, capacitive home button; and increased RAM and/or storage.

Regardless of what the next iPhone turns out to be — a refreshed iPhone 4 with advanced features or a revolutionary new iPhone design — the buzz surrounding Apple’s fifth generation iPhone promises to make it the most successful smartphone design ever.

By Michael Nace

In one last hurrah before the October 4th announcement, the iPhone 5 rumor mill makes up its mind: it will be an iPhone 4S tomorrow.

If there is ever a day when the iPhone 5 rumor mill renders itself completely worthless, it’s today. With just 24+ hours until Apple unveils its long-waited new iPhone iteration, no leaked photo, screen shot, or iPhone 5 case can mollify the avid iPhone junkie searching for answers to their insatiable questions: after this long a wait, everyone can wait just one day longer.

In spite of this reality, however, the media are still hard at it, compressing a year’s worth of rumors and doubling down on their last-minute predictions. Taking a quick look around the tech media sphere — as well as some of the mainstream media — it would appear that much of the media expects not an iPhone 5, but rather a refreshed iPhone 4S.

9to5Mac seems to have made its mind up on the issue, observing that the rumors weigh more heavily in favor of the iPhone 4S than the iPhone 5. They note that, while the only “solid” evidence of the overhauled, teardrop design are a flurry of cheap iPhone 5 cases, the rest of the circumstantial evidence points to the iPhone 4S. They comment that, “Because of  lack of evidence for a redesign, we believe that Apple will introduce only an iPhone 4S on Tuesday,” and then goes on to list seven compelling pieces of evidence to support the claim. Granted, none of them are what you would call “smoking guns,” and some of them don’t even make any sense, such as “N94 device with iPhone 4 design tested on T-Mobile” — didn’t T-Mobile already tell us that they aren’t releasing an iPhone this year?

In any case, it’s interesting to see that 9to5Mac has settled on this prediction just a day ahead of the announcement.

But some of the big media outlets have also referenced the iPhone 4S speculation as well. FoxNews had this to say today: “Rumor has it that the phone will be called the iPhone 4S, not iPhone 5. We have seen Apple do this before when its flagship phone has not been fully refreshed but rather updated incrementally. The 3G and 3GS are good examples.” That’s it. That’s all they had to say about the issue — they’ve all but settled on the iPhone 4S speculation as well.

CNN.com is a bit more scatter-brained with their own report, citing virtually everything that has been written about the next iPhone. However, they do lead off their long, confusing list of possibilities by saying, “The tech specs of the new phone are still hotly debated, as reporters scour Apple patents, SKU codes and, of course, Bay Area bars for any remaining iPhone-rumor morsels sure to grab the public’s attention,” then going on to acknowledge, “The phone will be called the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S.” CNN kind of gives up their hack status when it comes to the iPhone, since we all know that Apple could very well choose a name not on this short-list.

MacRumors is more diffuse in making a prediction, instead opting to simply list the possibilities of what we might get tomorrow. But one interesting quote from this article concerns the naming of the next device: “Several retailers and carriers are beginning to list “iPhone 5″ on their websites, which some readers take as evidence for a redesigned iPhone. Those companies’ use of the term “iPhone 5″ is not referring to any particular design (tapered or otherwise) but are simply placeholders. They are simply using the term “iPhone 5″ as a naturally descriptive term to mean “the iPhone that comes after the iPhone 4.”

MacRumors seems to be getting at the point that the significance of the name of the next iPhone is incredibly convoluded — Apple has every right to call it “iPhone 5,” whether it turns out to be an overhaul or not. After all, it will be the fifth-generation iPhone. And if they choose to call it “4S” or “4GS,” they will be putting themselves in the position of having to skip over the “iPhone 5″ and go right to “iPhone 6″ in 2012, like they did with the iPhone and then the subsequent iPhone 3G.

One final speculation — one that interests me the most, comes from BGR of all sites, who delves into the last-minute sense that the next iPhone could be truly 4G-ready. Citing some screen shots (again — they could be easily fabricated), BGR claims that the next iPhone will either be 4G LTE, or at the very least, boast 4G-like speeds: “One listing mentioned the oft-rumored iPhone 4S and the second listed a $639.99 iPhone 5 with an 8-megapixel camera, a 4-inch display and “4G Data Speeds.” BGR also represents the last bastion of the dual iPhone releases — though I’ve seen very little of that being claimed today.

My Prediction

Like you, I’ve taken in all of the so-called evidence over the past summer, and I’ve found most of it to be inconclusive at best. I would agree with 9to5Mac’s assertion that the lion’s share of actionable intelligence suggests this refreshed “iPhone 4S” over an overhauled iPhone 5. That being said, this perception may also simply be the result of Apple doing its best to keep the iPhone 5 under wraps. Maybe that’s exactly what they want us to believe?

Of all the screen shots, iPhone cases, and other sightings, I think the best evidence we’ve seen so far comes directly from Apple: their media event graphic. Most companies don’t think about the symbolism of choosing press conference dates and PR graphics — but Apple does. We are inclined to believe that all of the big answers to the next iPhone are embedded in the Let’s Talk iPhone graphic. It’s a riddle — and a brilliantly planned one at that, in that it doesn’t solidify anything, but makes a lot of suggestions.

I think it is significant that Apple chose October 4th and not the 5th for their announcement. Granted, Apple may have chosen the 4th just as a means of throwing off the prognosticators, but in the end, I think that their PR department likes it when things align nicely. The 4th suggests that the iPhone will have a 4 in its name. Also, there are four icons.

(One cooky idea I had is that the white space in between the icons forms a kind of plus sign, and the 4 plus the little 1 for the missed call equals five. But that seems a little too coded — even for Apple.)

Also, the “let’s talk iPhone” slogan fits in nicely with the recent rumor that iOS 5′s Assistant will be a flagship feature. It tells me that software will be the focus of this new iPhone, and that Apple feels it is enough to excite people to buy it.

Another reason I think that the iPhone will have “4″ in its name is that we’ve heard from our own source — with certainty on his part — that the next iPhone will retain the iPhone 4′s form factor. It is possible that he and his sources have just seen an iPhone 4 being manufactured for Asia, and, as I said above, Apple has just done a great job in keeping the new iPhone under wraps. But because Apple has re-used a form factor before (3G to 3Gs), there is a precedent for them doing it. Also, the iPhone 4 has been wildly successful over the past year and a half.

This isn’t to say that they might not bump up the size of the screen — but I think that there is a good chance that it will have to stay within the boundaries of the current iPhone’s specs.

Finally, I think there is a better chance than many acknowledge that the next iPhone could be 4G. There is a debate back and forth about whether the U.S. is ready for a 4G iPhone, with only the urban areas sporting 4G coverage. Even I found it doubtful at the onset of the iPhone 5 hype cycle. But in the end, I think 4G has gotten into the mainstream enough to give it a 50/50 chance.

On this final day, I am leaning towards an iPhone 4S or 4GS, with an iPhone 4-esque form factor, replacing the glass back with metal and maybe just tweaking the screen size up a bit. I remain unconvinced that there will be two new iPhones.

Let’s hope I’m wrong, and we get the big, bold iPhone 5 we’ve all bee dreaming of!

By Michael Nace

InMobi, which claims to be the world’s largest independent mobile ad network, has released the combined results of its monthly InMobi Mobile Insights network ad data research and a custom iPhone-focused study, “iPhone 5 and the Mobile Market.”

InMobi says its announcement can be considered a forecast of the scope and effect of the confirmed October 4th Apple iPhone announcement. InMobi anticipates the North American mobile ad market to experience a significant increase in mobile media consumption based on its iPhone 5 consumer data findings, deducing that the fifth-generation iPhone is shaping up to be most successful smartphone product launch to date.

The recent InMobi consumer smartphone survey found that 41% of current mobile users in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada plan to buy an iPhone 5, which if it plays out in reality would make the fifth-gen handset Apple’s best-seller yet. The study also indicates that over 50% of users affirming intent to buy will make their move within six months of the iPhone 5 launch, which would increase Apple’s mobile platform market share from 27% in June 2011 (comScore Inc., August 2011) to 41% in the first half of 2012,

However, there’s a caveat. InMobi says that if Apple were to announce an iPhone next Tuesday that only amounts to an update of the current iPhone 4, a la the 3GS update of the existing iPhone that Apple released in 2009, interest in the new Apple smartphone will be significantly lower, with fewer than 15% of consumers saying they would be likely to pick up the new handset.

In terms of what consumers are expecting in the new iPhone, the InMobi study finds that the most hoped for improvements and enhancements would be improved battery life; increased processor power; higher-quality screen resolution; and stronger phone service,

Customer Retention And New Users

As for the iPhone 5′s impact on Apple’s smartphone competition, InMobi’s study revealed that over half of current BlackBerry users (52%) are planning to switch to the iPhone 5, a higher proportion than even current iPhone users 51% of whom say they’ll be trading up. Greater than one in four (27%) of Android owners have iPhone 5 fever as well. The worst news is for already beleaguered Research in Motion, with the study finding that even if Apple only announced an iPhone 4S, 28 percent of current BlackBerry smartphone would still switch to Apple, more than double the percentage of current iPhone and Android owners who would buy in that hypothetical instance.

Source: InMobi

InMobi’s North America Market Overview, which shows nearly 24 billion mobile ad impressions on the InMobi network over the past quarter, also finds Apple mobile ad impressions are on the rise in iPod Touch devices and that as a manufacturer, Apple has the majority of the market share, at 29%. Data from the report also indicate a 33% growth in mobile ad impressions over the past three months, and a 39% growth in smart phone impressions in the North America mobile market. An infographic outlining the full findings of InMobi’s most recent research is available at:
http://www.inmobi.com/research/

Commenting on InMobi’s latest findings, InMobi’s VP Global Research & Marketing James Lamberti, said: “The combination of Apple’s increasing market share in mobile advertising and general consumer interest in their latest technology is another boon for the mobile advertising industry. Apple is currently the clear leader in terms of compelling user experience and customer loyalty, and we feel that their quality and pace of innovation when it comes to mobile devices will continue to improve the content and advertising experience for consumers for iPhone5 and beyond.”

For more information, visit:
http://www.InMobi.com/research

Follow InMobi on Twitter @InMobi

Blog at:
http://www.InMobi.com/InMobiblog/

Facebook’s move to delete several top iPhone 5-related fan pages points to a big Facebook-related iPhone announcement at the media event on October 4th, and the possibility that the next iPhone may indeed be called “iPhone 5.”

On Monday of this week, the iPhone 5 News Blog‘s Facebook page, “iPhone 5 News,” was abruptly deleted by Facebook, with no explanation from Facebook why. The “iPhone 5 News” Facebook page was the first of its kind, started about 14 months ago, boasted almost 5,500 “likes,” and was a major channel for disseminating iPhone 5-related news onto Facebook.

In addition, other top iPhone 5-related fan pages were also deleted on Facebook this week, such as “iPhone 5 Rumours,” which was also one of the oldest Facebook fan pages for the iPhone 5, with well over 1,000 “likes.” Other lesser-followed iPhone 5 news fan pages still remain on Facebook, in addition to several iPhone 5-related apps, but it appears that all of the most followed pages have been removed.

To this point, Facebook has declined comment on why the fan pages were removed.
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BGR’s Best Buy hoax in early September has been followed up with yet another bogus Best Buy leak, claiming a new iPhone 4G case.

The Best Buy iPhone 5 rumors are still winless, even this late into the game.

A fleeting report from Techno Buffalo quickly rose and fell, claiming a screen shot of a new product add to the Best Buy inventory of the iPhone 4G. The screen shot, which shows the sku and product information for an Orlando Magic “iPhone 4G case,” was touted as an actionable piece of intel to suggest that the next iPhone would not be the iPhone 5, but rather a 4G-equipped iPhone — hence, the “iPhone 4G.”

Techno Buffalo argues the case for taking this screet shot seriously: “Although even we were skeptical, the Best Buy employee assured us that this case was not listed the previous week and just sprouted up today in the system.” Author Mike Perlman goes on to justify the “iPhone 4G” evidence by citing the logic that Apple skipped the “iPhone 2″ in order to capitalize on the 3G network with the iPhone 3G, and that they could do the same on this year’s iPhone: “based on iPhone history, we have witnessed the leap from the first-generation iPhone right up to the iPhone 3G, proving that Apple does not necessarily heed a chronological naming template.”

He also cites numerous reports of AT&T testing the new iPhone on their 4G network, and that the release delay could be all about giving U.S. carriers like Sprint and AT&T time to get more of their 4G infrastructure in line before releasing it: “let’s ponder for a moment. AT&T just rolled out their LTE service. Apple pushed back its iPhone announcement to a date that falls just beyond Big Blue’s LTE red carpet. So now with Verizon and AT&T as LTE juggernauts, it would make all the sense in the world for Apple to release a new LTE iPhone within the coming weeks. We’ve also heard rumors of AT&T testing an iPhone prototype with its LTE service.”

All of this may seem well and good, except for the fact that the screen shot is erroneous at best and a total hoax at worst.

Less than 24 hours and two updates later, Techno Buffalo debunked their own big, breaking story: “Update 2: A UPC search (FVA3403) leads to a result indicating this is a case of iPhone 4 covers, which lends strong credibility to this being a Best Buy internal error and not a product reveal.  (Update by Sean)” Gee, maybe you should have done the UPC search first, Techno Buffalo.

This is the second failed Best Buy rumor in the month of September, with the first one, posted by Boy Genius Report, going up in smoke.

The shame of it is that Techno Buffalo makes some compelling arguments for how the next iPhone could indeed be the iPhone 4G. However, the irresponsibility of posting the screen shot with the headline, “iPhone 4G Instead of iPhone 5? Best Buy Leaks Apple Gold” without first double- and triple-checking the product code negates their claims.

It may be safe to say that any new evidence coming from Best Buy should be treated with the highest level of skepticism going forward.

By Michael Nace

Sprint’s PR department updated the iPhone 5 News Blog today with a little bit of news regarding their scheduled October 7th media event, which many in the media believe will be used to announce the launch of the iPhone 5 on the “Now Network.” According to a Sprint PR representative, the October 7th event will feature an audiocast, confirming that they “will be putting out info on the audiocast shortly.”

The iPhone 5 News Blog will be monitoring Sprint’s official news page for further details on how to follow the webcast for the event.

In addition, Sprint also confirmed that the media event would indeed be focused on Sprint’s 4G network, saying that “this is an event for financial analysts to update them on our 4G strategy and plans.” To this point, the Sprint 4G announcement has remained a rumor, but we can now confirm that Sprint will tout a new 4G infrastructure to investors.

Sprint declined to comment about the iPhone 5, or whether their 4G plans have been adversely affected by the failure of 4G wireless partner LightSquared, who were slated to pay Sprint over $9 billion for use of their 4G infrastructure.

Sprint, Nexus S First To Launch Google Wallet In U.S. — NFC Coming To iPhone 5?

In other recent news, Sprint surprisingly became the first U.S. mobile carrier to launch Google Wallet on the Android-powered Nexus S. In their press release, they boast of the technology as “an app that enables consumers to transform their phones into their wallets and make purchases with a simple tap. Sprint is the first carrier and Nexus S 4G is the first phone in the United States to deliver this convenient, innovative service that lets shoppers tap-to-pay at hundreds of thousands of participating retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, the Container Store, Macy’s, Foot Locker and Subway.”

You can read the entire press release here.

The launch of NFC payments on Sprint’s Nexus S 4G is a sore reminder of the rumored NFC-related technologies that iPhone users would very much like to see present on the iPhone 5. Early on, NFC was a hot topic in the iPhone 5 rumor mill, but has trailed off over the past couple months in the wake of the growing frustration over the iPhone 5 release delay, as well as persistent rumors that the next iPhone could in fact turn out to be a refreshed iPhone 4.

You can read all of our previous NFC articles here.

At present, the news regarding NFC for the iPhone 5 hasn’t been resoundingly positive. In a recent article from Computerworld, Richi Jennings comments, “no love for a possible NFC-enabled iPhone 5.” For as much as NFC hasn’t been touted lately in the iPhone 5 rumor mill, there are plenty of users who will be disappointed if the next iPhone fails to offer a wireless payment option.

In any event, Sprint racks up perhaps the first of a string of wins in the smartphone market with Google Wallet. Let’s see if Apple counters it with their own solution.

By Michael Nace

Unlike T-Mobile, who definitively put to rest rumors of getting the iPhone 5 this year, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse offered more innuendo that Sprint will get the iPhone 5.

Sprint continues to leave a breadcrumb trail of innuendo and suggestion that will undoubtedly lead to a Sprint iPhone 5 launch.

In a conference call to investors, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse failed to confirm the iPhone 5 coming to the U.S. third largest network — not a surprise, since the only Apple representative who has said anything about a new iPhone is Al Gore — but he did make remarks about the prospects of how an iPhone release could positively impact Sprint’s fourth quarter 2011 earnings. From IBTimes: “Hesse declined to say on Wednesday whether the company was planning on selling the iPhone 5, which is rumored to be out in early to mid-October, probably even Oct. 4. Rather, he just said that, in order to meet the full-year target, Sprint would need to have a ‘very strong fourth quarter.’”

Of course, a “very strong fourth quarter” is a wink and a nod to investors to keep their eyes on Sprint as we enter October. And Hesse made sure to allude to the iPhone 5 in this context: “If the company were to sell the iPhone 5, the full-year targets would need to be changed, Hesse said.”
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One of Apple’s Board of Directors may have just spilled the beans on the iPhone 5′s release in October — and that Board is none other than Al Gore. Move over climate change, Big Al is now the new iPhone rumor monger.

Former Vice President, inventor of the Internet, eco-warrior, and Apple board member Al Gore apparently spotted the beans on an October release, coming just on the heels of a report today that Apple has slated a media event for October 4th. His offhand comments came at this years’ Discovery Invest Leadership Conference wherein he commented to Stuff Magazine “Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month. That was a plug.”

Much has been made of Gore’s remark, not only because it corroborates the prevailing rumors of an October announcement and release of the iPhone 5, but also the ever growing sense that Apple might co-release two new iPhone models, a theory once thought to be implausible. As a member of Apple’s board, Mr. Gore would indeed have access to sensitive information such as the nature of the next iPhone’s release. It remains to be seen if Gore’s comment was a gaffe or part of Apple’s often cryptic pre-marketing efforts.

I’m just relieved Gore wasn’t this reckless with national policy secrets when he was Vice President.

Should this comment price to be true, it remains to be seen how Gore’s slip up could affect his role on Apple’s board.

By Michael Nace

In the face of losing the processor contract with Apple, as well as analysts’ predictions that iPhone 5 sales will be astoundingly high, Samsung isn’t counting solely on its SG2 to combat the next iPhone.

For all of the excited smartphone users in Europe and Asia who have eschewed the Samsung Galaxy S 2 in anticipation for the release of the iPhone 5, things may have just taken a turn for the worse for you: Samsung is moving to make the iPhone 5 “illegal” in Europe.

A new article today in the UK’s Daily Mail indicates that Samsung is taking a scorched earth policy in combating the impending release of the iPhone 5 in Europe by wielding patents and legal gambits to block its official release. They report that “A Samsung executive told the Korea Times this week, ‘When the iPhone 5 arrives here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court here for its violation of Samsung’s wireless technology related patents.” The company line on this action is that it is a retaliation on Samsung’s part to combat Apple’s own aggressive moves in the court room against them. The article goes on to report: “This month, Apple even forced Samsung to withdraw a prototype tablet device from the show floor of a Berlin electronics show. Samsung’s larger Galaxy 10.1 tablet remains illegal in Europe thanks to Apple’s legal action.” The strategy, therefore, is to try and match Apple tit for tat in banning new gadgets from Europe.

Another article, from KnowYourMobile, indicates that Samsung is trying the same thing in Korea, which means that Asia is not safe from the legal avalance, either. And yet another, sent in by iPhone 5 News Blog reader Mark, suggests that Australia could be in the crosshairs as well.

But sidelining the iPhone 5 in Europe would be a much bigger victory than Apple squelching the Galaxy Tab.

By Michael Nace

To be sure, there is more than just a legal duel at the base of this conflict; the fact that Samsung is due to lose its contract with Apple for making its chips is another motivating factor behind such a draconian move, which could bring about a “nuclear winter” in the smartphone market, with patent litigation holding up the free flow of way cool smartphones and tablets like the iPhone 5 and iPad. In the past, when Samsung had a stake in the iPhone’s success, perhaps their legal battles with Apple were more along the lines of a showpiece for the likes of investor relations. But if Samsung is marginalized as one of Apple’s top components suppliers, it could let loose the dogs of war.

How Does Anyone Win?

The reason why it is important to follow the legal battles that involve Apple, Samsung, the iPhone, and other smartphones is that is dramatically impacts we, the consumers. Because these legal battles are so cynical, no one appears to win in the end, since the legal victor gets branded as a villain by the group of consumers that they vanquished in the process of winning their lawsuit. Let’s imagine, for example, that Samsung manages to win their legal fight and keep the iPhone 5 completely out of Europe. Do they think that consumers who have been pining for an iPhone 5 will simply go out and buy an GS2? The more logical possibility is that the backlash against Samsung will hurt them more than keeping the iPhone 5 out of Europe would hurt Apple. Apple, after all, will launch the iPhone 5 in the U.S.

The same thing can be said conversely about Apple: those who wanted to buy the Galaxy Tab in Europe won’t love Apple any more by them killing the product that they wanted to purchase in the first place.

The conclusion to this ever-escalating cat and mouse legal game is going to have to be an overhaul of the patent system worldwide. Interestingly enough, that kind of thing is already underway in the U.S. government, where legislators are seeking for a way to put some checks and balances into place to keep legal injunctions from holding up  the launch of economy-boosting products like the iPhone 5. As the economy sputters in America and Europe, taking the iPhone 5 out of the game — especially as we approach Christmastime — isn’t going to help anyone.

Let’s hope that the big tech companies commit to competing with one another in the marketplace and not the court room, since that kind of competition always benefits the consumer.

Apple’s announcement that it will reset iCloud on September 22nd marks an end to the development period of iOS 5. The next step will ushering in its flagship mobile device — the iPhone 5.

To use a bad pun, iClouds on the horizon bode well for the release of the iPhone 5.

MacRumors is reporting today that Apple will be resetting iCloud on September 22nd. This news was posted on the Apple Developer’s site “On Thursday, September 22, the iCloud Backup data will be reset. Backing up to iCloud or restoring from an iCloud backup will be unavailable from 9 AM PDT – 5 PM PDT.”

It should be noted that the September 22nd iCloud reset date coincides with some other dates that have been bandied about recently, namely, the rumor that the iOS 5 “Golden Master” version would be published on September 23rd, along with an eighth beta version previously last Friday. While the beta 8 iOS 5 version proved to be a false rumor, the conglomeration of the Golden Master releasing on the 23rd, together with the confirmed iCloud reset on the 22nd, works well with the long-standing fact that Apple has announced iOS 5′s official release to be “in the Fall.” The Fall begins on the 23rd.

Another interesting date corroboration comes from the end of Apple’s Mac promotion this week, which ends on September 20th. Unlike other iPhone 5 announcement/release rumor dates — such as September 7th — this week features a cluster of different dates that could very well prove to mark the beginning of the iPhone 5 being more than just a myth.

It would seem unlikely that Apple would hold a media event this week, however, given the fact that no known media invites have gone out. But perhaps Apple is waiting for all of these mile markers to clear this week before inviting the media, since media invitations will suck all of the tech media focus into the iPhone 5 vortex once they go out.

By Michael Nace