'iPhone 4S' and iPad 3 Coming in Late October?

Mac Otakara reports that it has received information indicating that Apple will be introducing the iPad 3 and "iPhone 4S" sometime early next month, with availability set for "late October". The source offered no information, however, on plans for the iPhone 5, although rumors have suggested that Apple will introduce both a revamped iPhone 5 and tweaked iPhone 4 next month.

According to sources, iPhone 4S which is based on iPhone 4(CDMA) and new iPad will be started produce since 1st week in September and will be shipped in late October.

The "iPhone 4S" name is an unofficial one that has been used in a variety of reports to refer to a new iPhone based largely on and appearing nearly identical to the current iPhone 4, but offering upgraded internal components. What has come to be known as the iPhone 5 is a more thorough redesign which has surfaced in case designs reportedly based on leaked design specs.

iphone 4 ipad 2
There had been some confusion about whether Apple would be releasing an "iPhone 4S" or "iPhone 5" this year, with some suggesting that the confusion stemmed from Apple testing iPhone 5 components within iPhone 4 enclosures for secrecy. But others have claimed that Apple will indeed be introducing both the iPhone 5 and a tweaked iPhone 4 as rumors of a low-cost iPhone have continued to swirl.

Apple has of course traditionally kept its older models around as entry-level options, as evidenced Apple's continued sale of an 8 GB iPhone 3GS model, but the volume of rumors suggest that Apple may be doing a bit more tweaking to its low-end offerings this time around. Such low-cost models are said to be key for penetrating the prepaid markets prevalent in a number of large countries around the world.

Mac Otakara has offered some accurate information in the past, and notably was the first source to pinpoint some of the features of the iPad 2 as case designs began leaking out. A number of potential dates for a media event introducing the iPhone 5 and perhaps the iPad 3 have been suggested, with early reports of a September timeframe being countered early last week with a report from All Things Digital claiming that the device won't be available until October. The latest rumor has, however, claimed a September 7th media event, although an iPhone 5 introduction at that time to be followed with a launch as far off as late October would be outside Apple's usual gap between introduction and availability.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: iPhone, iPad

Top Rated Comments

Time Less Avatar
164 months ago
i refuse to believe there will be an iPad 3 this year.

*owns an iPad 2*
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
saving107 Avatar
164 months ago
I find it hard to believe that Apple will have had the iPhone 4 on the market for 15-16 months and is only planning a minor release to iPhone 4S, but 6 months later is ready to release a new iPad that warrants a number upgrade to iPad 3.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
164 months ago
I'd like to murder the analyst or source who decided to use '4S'. We've gone to sequential numbering now. Even if they slapped a hello kitty sticker on the iphone 4 and called it the iphone 5, it's the freaking iphone 5.

If the iPad 3 is coming. Where is the big order for Retina displays? If not, what did they actually upgrade???
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Simgar988 Avatar
164 months ago
These rumors are so off base, idk if I can even consider them rumors. Just junk...

Why would apple release an iPad 3 w/ stellar IPad 2 sales? They wouldn't.

Why would they wait a year and a half to release a souped up iPhone 4. They wouldn't.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Reach9 Avatar
164 months ago
Rumor buster:

1) iPhone 4S, if there will be one, will be the lower model. I think it's pretty obvious that there will be an iPhone 5, no doubt about it.

2) iPad 3? No, but an iPad 2 HD makes more sense. Will it happen? I doubt it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Patriot24 Avatar
164 months ago
With names, I figured the next one would be 4S or whatever letter, 4GS when they put 4G into it, then finally iphone 5 whenever they change the case again.
So...

iPhone 4s with iOS 5
iPhone 4GS with iOS 6
iPhone 5 with iOS 7

I highly doubt it. It will look more like this:

iPhone 5 with iOS 5
iPhone 6 with iOS 6
iPhone 7 with iOS 7

The simplicity is key when marketing. It also makes sense to advance your version numbers as quickly as possible to maintain the perceived lead over the competition. When a customer walks into a store and sees iPhone 5, Droid X 2, and Nexus S2, what sounds like the most advanced model?

There is a reason Microsoft named their latest Xbox "360" rather than "2". You don't want to have "Xbox 2" sitting on a shelf next to "PlayStation 3".
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
iOS 17 Passkey With Apple ACCOUNT Feature

'Apple ID' Expected to Change to 'Apple Account' Starting With iOS 18

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:13 am PDT by
MacRumors was first to report that Apple was planning to rebrand "Apple ID" to "Apple Account" across its software platforms and websites like iCloud.com as early as this year, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has corroborated this change. A mockup of the new Apple Account branding In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new "Apple Account" branding will start to be used later this...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

iOS 17.4.1 Update for iPhone is Imminent

Monday March 18, 2024 5:27 am PDT by
iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 should be released within the next few days, with a build number of 21E235, according to a source with a proven track record. MacRumors previously reported that Apple was internally testing iOS 17.4.1. As a minor update for the iPhone, it will likely address software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. It is unclear if the update will include any other changes. ...
M3 iPad Feature 3

New iPads Likely to Begin Shipping in April

Monday March 18, 2024 9:52 am PDT by
Apple's new iPad Pro models with OLED displays will likely begin shipping to customers in April, according to information shared today by Ross Young, CEO of display industry research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also said the new iPad Pro models might not ship until "deeper" into April in his Power On newsletter on Sunday:I've repeatedly said that new...