The next incarnation of the popular iPhone may begin production by September, suggests Business Insider, citing a message from Avian Securities.
Avian says the report is based on conversations with a "key component supplier" to Apple.
If the new iPhone doesn't start production until September, this means a late 2011 release date, or more likely early 2012.
The note from Avian also said Apple is working on a lower-spec/lower-price iPhone.
Here is the full note:
"Supporting out comments over the last month, conversations with yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone-5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario. In addition, our conversations also indicate the existence of a lower-spec/lower-priced iPhone in Apple's roadmap. However, while our contacts have seen the placeholder in the Apple roadmap, they do not yet have insight into specs or production timing. This leads us to believe that any launch is likely a very late 2011 or more likely a 2012 event. As a reminder, Avian has uncovered several data-points in recent months pointing to the existence of a lower-spec/lower-price iPhone. A lower-spec/lower-price iPhone has also been speculated in the press and gadget blogs, though we do not believe consensus currently discounts the existence of such a model."
