Three sources tell Reuters production for the new model will be starting in July or August
Reuters, a wire service that still maintains extensive bureaus in the Far East, cites “three people with direct knowledge of the company’s supply chain” who say that Apple’s (AAPL) next generation iPhone won’t ship until September.
The new phone will be largely the same as the old one, according to Reuters, but will have a faster processor.
Evidence for a September release have been mounting since late March, when sources close to Apple reported that there would be no new iPhone at Apple’s June developers conference.
Those reports were echoed by several analysts in touch with Apple’s component suppliers. Earlier this week, Concord Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo told AppleInsider that the new phone would be powered by the same A5 processor that runs the iPad 2 and sport a higher-resolution 8 megapixel camera.
Although Reuters does not identify its three sources, it does cite three iPhone 5 suppliers by name: camera module maker Largan Precision, touchscreen panel maker Wintek and case maker Foxconn Technolog. Stocks for all three companies rose sharply in trading on the Taipei exchange Wednesday.
Analysts can be expected to ask Apple executives about the iPhone 5 during the earnings call scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday. Apple can be expected to duck those questions.
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[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]
