iPhone 5 Release Date Sped Up to August due to Growth of Samsung Galaxy S3 Sales: Taiwanese Source

By David Salazar (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Jul 05, 2012 09:35 AM EDT

The iPhone 5 release date roller coaster has taken yet another turn.

Reports from Taiwan's Central News Agency have stated that the highly anticipated phone will make its debut in the US in August.

A few days ago, a Chinese site stated that the phone's launch was set for September due to issues with batteries that Apple was facing.

However, the Taiwanese source has stated that Apple's change of tactics is due mainly to the growth and sales of the Samsung smartphones. Samsung released its Galaxy S3 phone a few weeks ago in the US and has taken the market by storm.

Samsung is expected to sell about 10 million devices of the latest Galaxy phone by the end of July, making it the fastest selling smartphone.

The iPhone's last iteration, the 4S, was released in October and interrupted the normal cycle of iPhone releases which typically occurred in June.

An August release of the iPhone 5 would ensure that Apple cuts into Samsung's profit window and would likely swing the market back in Apple's favor.

The iPhone 5 is slated to include a four-inch 16:9 wide screen to compete with Samsung's 4.8 inch screen.

The latest rumors indicate that the phone will feature an "In-Cell" display technology which combines LCD and touch-layer into one component, making the overall screen thickness much lower. The phone is also expected to be thinner and may also support NFC and wireless charging.

Foxconn CEO Terry Gou recently stated that the phone will put the new Samsung Galaxy S3 to "shame."

With the iPhone 5 release date still looming, here are some articles on the reported and expected release dates of various tech blogs and media agencies.

October Release Reports

Tech Radar
Release Date: October or Mid to Late 2012 (February 21 reports)

Bloomberg
Release Date: October launch likely according to analyst (April 19 report)

9to5 Mac
Release Date: Launch around October according to a S. Korean newspaper. (April 9 report)

Wired
Release Date: 50/50 percent Chance for October Launch (April 9 report)

September Release Reports

CNet
Release Date: CNet cites analyst for September launch (June 28 report)

PCMag
Release Date: PCMag cites two analysts for September launch (June 28 report)

Digitimes
Release Date: September launch (May 9 report)

RELATED ARTICLES:

iPhone 5 Release May Be Delayed by Battery Issues

iPhone 5 News: Release Date Remain Unconfirmed; New Micro MagSafe Rumors Surface