iPhone 5 rumors supported by Apple’s blocking of employee vacations for early October

By Adam Rosenberg September 25, 2011

iphone 5 concept

If Apple doesn’t end up revealing its new iPhone at the start of October then you can expect to start hearing from a lot of confused customers. While there’s been no official confirmation of a looming announcement, all signs are pointing to a press conference and reveal on October 4. Even Al Gore, a company board member, has said that multiple iPhone models are due next month.

If all the talk that’s been circulating hasn’t been enough to convince you, I’m not sure this latest news will be any different. However, AppleInsider is apparently hearing that the company is denying vacation time requests from employees “in some locations” from October 9 through October 12, as well as October 14 and 15. The information reportedly comes from “people familiar with the matter.”

The site posits that the first of the two windows relates to the release of iOS 5. Not only does this line up with several rumored developer-related happenings during that timeframe, it also fits Apple’s previous pattern of releasing a major iOS update and then following it shortly thereafter with a new iPhone release.

Which brings us to the second vacation blackout window, October 14 and 15, a Friday/Saturday. The belief is that this is when the next iPhone will be released. Given that it’s been almost a year and a half now since the last iPhone release, expect a big customer turnout when this one goes on sale.

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Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

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