Speculation: iOS 5 Fall Release to Coincide With New iPhone Announcement

[Phillip Swanson]

Apple debuted the first iPhone at WWDC 2007 and has typically used the conference to unveil new hardware products like subsequent versions of the iPhone and now the iPad. This year they didn't and here is I think why.

Apple pulled a rather unceremonious move and pre-announced their announcements, letting the public know they were going to talk about Lion, iOS 5, and iCloud. Some thought it was damage control because no new hardware was scheduled to be announced, while others hoped it was to mislead the public and hit them over the head with a major announcement.

Well the major announcement this year came in the form of iCloud, and iTunes Match. These game changing (if they work as described) services were to Apple deserved of the spotlight. But, that doesn't mean if a new product was ready, they wouldn't have unveiled it. Apple after all is a creature of habit, as are their customers.

The release of the white iPhone 4, the iPad 2, and updated iMacs and laptops makes for a super saturated marketplace for Apple. Introducing a brand new iPhone could canabolize sales of these recently released devices. Also, a lack of heavy competition from competitors, and healthy sales numbers of current Apple devices, has allowed Apple to delay revealing their next phone.

This lack of pressure has allowed Apple the leeway to push out iOS 5 this fall, which I believe will coincide with the release or at least the announcement of a new iPhone. Apple can't wait until next years WWDC to unveil a new phone, and even pushing it to the beginning of next year is testing consumers limits. It makes perfect sense for Apple to at least unveil the new iPhone alongside iOS 5. That way the new device ships with the latest operating system, and comes just in time for the holiday season. I see no other reason for Apple to delay the release of iOS 5, other than to spur even more interest in a new device. Users want the features now, and it appears to be very much in working order.

It's a win-win for Apple. They get to continue to sell iPhone 4's like gangbusters, use the extra time to ramp up production post-earthquake, and capitalize on the holiday buying fever. There are enough new Apple products to keep users distracted in the meantime.

Still, the next few months, waiting for the official release of iOS 5 is going to kill me.

[JLick]

P. Swizzy. Nice post and ye, I can wait for the new phone, but not for the new iOS >.<

[matrixhunter]

P. Swizzy. Nice post and ye, I can wait for the new phone, but not for the new iOS >.<

you do realize that the new the iphone coming with ios 5 is gonna look exactly the same as the iphone 4 but with betta specs they did with 3g to 3gs they dont redesign every year they redesign every 2 years

[PatrickGSR94]

you do realize that the new the iphone coming with ios 5 is gonna look exactly the same as the iphone 4 but with betta specs they did with 3g to 3gs they dont redesign every year they redesign every 2 years

fine with me, I'm still using a 3GS anyway. I'd like something with a better (hopefully dual core) processor and (hopefully) 64GB memory for our next iPhone. I'll just be skipping the 4 completely.

[vantheman169]

Nice article and it does make a lot of sense when put that way. Thank you.

[AndrewP15]

fine with me, I'm still using a 3GS anyway. I'd like something with a better (hopefully dual core) processor and (hopefully) 64GB memory for our next iPhone. I'll just be skipping the 4 completely.

same here

[Je5]

Please I think apple can do anything they want...they will obviously wait longer just because they know people will buy their product if its delayed. Look how well the white iPhone is doing since it was delayed Foooreevverrr. I think iOS5 will def be released by itself no new iPhone yet...They broke their old habit with this WWDC why not do it again with a new release date for iPhone.

[Cokeman]

I disagree. I think Apple is making a huge mistake in delaying the next iPhone. They have a hard enough time keeping up with demand. Releasing a new iPhone around the same time as iPods is going to be a manufacturing nightmare.
Apple makes a good product, but consumers are very impatient. If Apple isn't careful they will lose consumers to Android or other OS's. The speed in which Android is growing says it all. Apple can't afford to play around with only 1 phone model a year, then delay it even longer. The competition is releasing them monthly. Giving consumers more choices.
The iPad, iMacs, Laptops should not even be considered, the delay of a phone could hurt Apple in a bad way. I'm sure the new phone will still sell well, but in the mean time more consumers are switching to other OS powered devices.

[techknott]

What are you talking about. Apples fan base will simply upgrade when the time comes to do so. I certainly don't want a number of phones released every year. What would be the point? Who wants a phone that's out of date after a couple of months. Apple make premium products, as opposed to churned out android crap that sounds good on paper.

[Poseidon79]

Lets see... new iPad every spring... new Mac every summer.... new iPhone every Fall. I can adjust to that schedule.

[1hihum]

I'm not very happy about it myself. I was holding out to see what the new iphone had to offer before upgrading (the battery in my 3Gs is getting tired). But with no new phone today, I will have to settle into a new 4. That will likely mean I will skip the 4s, or whatever they decide to call it.

[unison999]

^^Have we not learned from each and every significant change on iOS? The changes here will slow down your iPhone 4 significantly, it is Apple's way to make current phone obsolete so you will buy iPhone 5.

[LiaFiorano]

I disagree. I think Apple is making a huge mistake in delaying the next iPhone. They have a hard enough time keeping up with demand. Releasing a new iPhone around the same time as iPods is going to be a manufacturing nightmare.
Apple makes a good product, but consumers are very impatient. If Apple isn't careful they will lose consumers to Android or other OS's. The speed in which Android is growing says it all. Apple can't afford to play around with only 1 phone model a year, then delay it even longer. The competition is releasing them monthly. Giving consumers more choices.
The iPad, iMacs, Laptops should not even be considered, the delay of a phone could hurt Apple in a bad way. I'm sure the new phone will still sell well, but in the mean time more consumers are switching to other OS powered devices.

This is more than just a technology strategy. Apple's move is very much a retail reaction. Although the growth of Andriod is there, the system and hardware still lack the advantages of the iphone, including battery life - as many of their customers find that within 6 monthes, their batteries die really quickly. And Blackberry has failed to make a touch screen device that wasn't flawed. I agree that saturating the marketplace with apple products will kill their current line. Plus, their sales quarters are looking more phenominal than any company could hope for. They did, basically, buy themselves time to make the new ios 5 EVEN BETTER. Give them the time! Sure I'm disappointed to, but it does drive my excitement up for the new device/upgrades.

Along with all the trouble in Japan, apple might not be able to currently meet the demand for production. Especially because they already can't meet current demand for products now (our location, cause I work in retail, runs out of ipad2 within hours of receiving them).

Give Apple a break. They have enough toys to entertain you for a little while. I'm sure they're new iPhone will still blow away the competition. Even if the android base is growing.

[Poseidon79]

^^Have we not learned from each and every significant change on iOS? The changes here will slow down your iPhone 4 significantly, it is Apple's way to make current phone obsolete so you will buy iPhone 5.

This was only a problem with the iPhone 3G having 128MB of RAM. Every other device.. even the 3GS with 256MB will run just fine. The iPhone 4 with 512MB will not be obsolete with software for another 2 years or so.

[TheGrandFinale2001]

Ohhhhhhhhh, I hate waiting. But I hope this gives them a chance to test and iron out all the bugs.

[x_IMMORTAL_x]

I disagree. I think Apple is making a huge mistake in delaying the next iPhone. They have a hard enough time keeping up with demand. Releasing a new iPhone around the same time as iPods is going to be a manufacturing nightmare.
Apple makes a good product, but consumers are very impatient. If Apple isn't careful they will lose consumers to Android or other OS's. The speed in which Android is growing says it all. Apple can't afford to play around with only 1 phone model a year, then delay it even longer. The competition is releasing them monthly. Giving consumers more choices.
The iPad, iMacs, Laptops should not even be considered, the delay of a phone could hurt Apple in a bad way. I'm sure the new phone will still sell well, but in the mean time more consumers are switching to other OS powered devices.

Quality not quantity my friend.

[Lamborghini615]

fine with me, I'm still using a 3GS anyway. I'd like something with a better (hopefully dual core) processor and (hopefully) 64GB memory for our next iPhone. I'll just be skipping the 4 completely.

i totally agree... and i also hope that there will be a better camera included in the next iPhone for some reason, i am not that crazed about the new iPhone and how it will be, for now, i just can't wait to get iOS5 on my iPad

[sub zero]

I gotta say I agree with the release tactic mentioned above. If they released a new phone for the holidays I think it would crush all previous records and I gotta also say it will hurt other companies sales like the ipad2 is doing to it's competitors.

[kuanyu]

iOS 5 is copying ideas from apps from cydia! e.g. wifi-sync, lock info, notify...etc!

[PatrickGSR94]

iOS 5 is copying ideas from apps from cydia! e.g. wifi-sync, lock info, notify...etc!

What's the big deal? I personally would rather have these features totally integrated into the iOS and for free rather than having to jailbreak just to get them. My 3GS 4.0.1 JB runs like ******* compared to my wife's non-JB 4.2.x. If the features are there w/o jailbreaking, bring it on because at least on our phones, the phones just run better that way.