January 26, 2012 - 13:44 AMT
Apple may release iPhone 5 in summer – source

An unconfirmed report by 9to5Mac says Apple might release the iPhone 5 as early as this summer, according to wired.com.

iPhone models have typically been released in June, though the iPhone 4S broke tradition with an October 2011 release.

9to5Mac says that a source at device manufacturer Foxconn says Apple’s next iPhone is currently ready for production, and a few sample handsets - each slightly different from one another - are floating around the factory.

The Foxconn source says that all of these potential iPhone 5s have a few things in common: a display 4 inches or larger; a longer and wider symmetrical shape (contradicting last summer’s rumors of an asymmetrical teardrop design); and a non-iPhone 4/4S form.

9to5Mac has a hit-and-miss track record when it comes to rumors. Shortly before the 4S debuted, the blog correctly reported that the phone would feature a voice-powered virtual assistant, but got a few details, like Siri’s name, wrong. Reports that the next iPhone could have a flat metal back (also from 9to5Mac) have persisted off and on since before the 4S debuted.