Several MacRumors readers have pointed out that case company Otterbox, which gained some publicity yesterday for the discovery of boxes for a new "iPhone 4S" case, is currently featuring a promotional banner on its website that some have suggested could be a hint at Apple releasing both iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 models next month.

otterbox iphone 4s 5 banner
But TUAW answered the question by reaching out to Otterbox for comment, with a company representative noting that the banner is simply intended to suggest that Otterbox will be ready with case offerings no matter what Apple announces.

We gave Kelly Richardson of Otterbox a call today and she clarified the matter. "We're not even quite sure ourselves," she told TUAW, talking about whether there would be one model or two.

She explained that the ad reflected the current conversations going on in the blogosphere. "Like many, we are watching the rumor sites and using information to plan ahead as much as we can." Otterbox promises support for whatever iPhone debuts, but they're emphatically not stating or leaking anything further. "We do not have any confidentiality agreements with Apple," Richardson told TUAW.

Richardson also addressed yesterday's case box leak, reporting that it was simply a packaging design and not any specific iPhone 4S case ready for launch.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

MultiMediaWill Avatar
185 months ago
Whatever Apple decides to call it, if it is not a major redesign I'm gonna be upset. What were they doing for 16 months?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrmjenkins Avatar
185 months ago
Richardson also addressed yesterday's case box leak, reporting that it was simply a packaging design and not any specific iPhone 4S case ready for launch.

So they just checking the 'S' on their printers?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mad-B-One Avatar
185 months ago
Business as usual

I guess their business depends on being on the market early. Everything - literally EVERYTHING they can do before launch, they will do. Makes sense. Having product design ready like cover design for the box. It is just too funny when stuff like this causes big waves. :D

If you see it from their perspective: iPhone XX comes out, you won't get off work until your part in product design or marketing is done. So, in order to get to sleep anytime soon after the launch/presentation, you do as much as you can in advance. :o
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kas23 Avatar
185 months ago
Whatever Apple decides to call it, if it is not a major redesign I'm gonna be upset. What were they doing for 16 months?

Making OS X look more iOS and filing lawsuits against every mobile electronic company in existence. And, yeah, they also changed CEOs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cere Avatar
185 months ago
Sort of a non-denial denial. She didn't say they are not certain about the iPhone 4S, she said they weren't certain whether there would be one or two models.

And her statement about the pictures "What was circulating yesterday was not a case image for the iPhone 4S but a packaging design", also doesn't make a lot of sense in light of the context of the photos being from units that have arrived in AT&T corporate stores. Is she saying they are in the habit of doing a 3 million unit production run, shipping them into AT&T stores (without a PO in place for those specific units) as a way to test the packaging?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tcphoto Avatar
185 months ago
Opps, nothing a sticker won't cover up if needed. BTW, how do these case manufacturers get the dimensions for unreleased electronics?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...