Apple has officially announced their rumored September 12 Conference, transparently confirming the debut of the iPhone 5 and release of iOS 6. The company's email invitation for the event displays the number "12," which casts a shadow in the form of the number "5," a fairly obvious nod to their intentions. "It's almost here" is written above the image, stoking the blaze of anticipation that has raged for months.
Apple's conference will be held next Wednesday at 1 p.m. EDT and 10 a.m. PDT at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. The iPhone 5 is expected to be available for preorder the day of the conference, and will likely find its home on store shelves a week later on September 21.
Motorola and Nokia are holding events on Wednesday as well in order to divert attention away from the new Apple device.
At Apple's October 4, 2011 event, the company announced iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S, both of which launched in the one-to-two week interval after the event. It is not likely that Apple will stray from this strategy. Expect iOS 6 to release at least within one week of the iPhone 5.
iOS 6 will be supported by the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, the new iPad, and the fourth gen iPad touch, Its features include improved Facebook integration, a Passbook feature for digital transactions, a live 3D map system, an updated Siri, and upgraded instant share options for photos, maps, websites, and apps. The OS also includes a "Do Not Disturb" feature that puts a stop to notifications.
The iPhone 4S initially launched in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Japan, Germany, France, and Canada before it was sold in other worldwide markets. Expect a similar pattern this time around as well.
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