iPhone 5 in June!? Report Says Yes

The unthinkable might happen. That is, assuming you have faith in a Foxconn recruiter, who claims that the iPhone 5 will be released in June. Foxconn will hire somewhere around 18,000 people in an effort to boost its manufacturing capabilities before the iPhone 5 is released. According to AppleInsider, the recruiter was asked (by a reporter from TV Tokyo's "World Business Satellite") if these new hires were needed to fulfill the high demand of the iPhone 5. "That's right," the recruiter replied. "It will come out in June." This is an interesting story, to be sure. And it's a heck of a lot better than the usual DigiTimes crap, which publishes a weekly stream of Apple AAPL rumors that are based on sources at various supplier companies. Those supplier reports rarely turn out to be true, and when they do, it's rare that DigiTimes acquires the exclusive on the story. In that instance, the details tend to go to a much more reputable publication, like AllThingsD, Reuters, or Bloomberg. While this report could be true, I'm betting that the recruiter was wrong, that there was a mistranslation from the TV interview, or that the recruiter made an assumption based on what few details were provided to him. That makes for compelling storytelling. But it doesn't confirm that the iPhone 5 will be released any sooner than originally anticipated. In fact, Apple has every reason not to release the next iPhone this summer. Most significantly, the iPhone 4S is still a hot seller. It could sell millions more over the coming quarter -- why cannibalize those sales (and force a premature price reduction) -- just to release the next iPhone a little sooner? There's no reason for that. The iPhone 4S isn't even eight months old yet. Further, a June release date doesn't make sense for Apple's reported 2012 strategy. All signs point to a MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and/or iMac overhaul in the next four to five months. While Apple could feasibly release a new iMac and a new iPhone at the same time, the MacBook redesigns are expected to be much more significant. Granted, Apple has been rumored to be redesigning the MacBook Pro for a good 18 months. But the most recent rumors claim that Apple is trying to merge the Pro and Air together for the best in speed, power, weight, size, shape, and form factor. If that's true, Apple is likely to focus on its computer business during the warmer months, and save the iPhone for September or October. Follow me @LouisBedigian