Apple has officially informed AT&T employees that the iPhone 5 will not be launching this June or July, according to a customer care representative for the mobile carrier.
When an AT&T customer realized his eligibility date for an upgrade was delayed more than five months, he contacted the wireless carrier looking for an explanation.
Apple has informed us that they do not plan to release the iPhone in the June to July timeframe, though there will be a newer version in the future. Unfortunately, we have not been given a release time for the new phone. We will release this information on our website when it is available to us.
Even though it’s surprising that such information would be passed down to AT&T employees before a formal Apple announcement, an August or September release is becoming more and more plausible. As June approaches, an increasing number of reports suggest that a new iPhone before September is unlikely.
Apple may opt to announce a next generation iPhone during its annual iPod event held in September.