iPhone 4S Release Date

The rumors never stop when it comes to the iPhone especially when we're nearing the suspected iPhone 4S release date. Yes, you did read that right!

Leading speculation and rumors making their way through the blogosphere are indicating that the iPhone 5 release date has been delayed.

According to tech insiders, vendors intimate within the Apple iPhone hardware distribution supply chain, are whispering that the A5 chip (internal processor that's supposed to power the new iPhone 5), is overheating.

Reacting to this issue, the dubbed iPhone 4S would be Apple's intermediate update to the iPhone 4. A refresh, similar to the naming convention of the iPhone 3 and iPhone 3GS, with a release date pegged for September or October 2011.

Let's keep in mind that any news regarding a new iPhone release date is nothing more than rumors and conjecture to this point. No official announcements have been made.

Despite the obvious hype, I do believe there are some interesting undercurrents at work here and worth discussing (if you're an iPhone or tech junkie) in regards to when Apple will release the next generation iPhone, what the iPhone or iPhones (I'll address this later) will look like, and what hardware it will sport.

Apple has clearly veered from announcing and releasing the new iPhone during what's become the typical June / July anniversary. The separate Verizon iPhone 4 launch happened off schedule as well (in the beginning part of the year).

Okay, what's the point?

Coupling iPhone reality with rumor, the BGR tech blog has speculated that, in the near future, Apple will be releasing an iPhone that is supported by all major wireless carriers. AT&T had it first, Verizon was the next obvious player in line (in terms of market share despite network compatibility challenges), and now, if BGR's speculation is correct, Sprint and T-Mobile will be the recipients of an iPhone.

Based on the course Apple took releasing the Verizon iPhone 4, one could assume that Sprint and T-Mobile will get their personalized iPhone devices, too.

Or, will they? Here's where I think it starts to get interesting.

If Apple's direction with the already announced and soon to be released IOS 5 is any indicator, I don't think things will play out like this. In fact, I think Apple will, as they're doing with their operating system, look towards uniformity in the devices released to the various network carriers.

Relatively speaking (taking legacy devices into consideration), based on past performance and direction, Apple doesn't want the iPhone working off of different software and they're not going to want their smartphone working off of different hardware (keep reading, there's a big caveat in regards to the hardware). They've always pushed for a dependable product with a familiar and similar user experience.

I believe there are changes on the way, but Apple is not going to waiver from this entrenched ideology. For the record, I wouldn't change this aspect either.

Regardless of your preference, there's no denying that the iPhone is the industry standard when it comes to smartphones. Of course, Android, Palm, and BlackBerry have superb functionality in their own respects, but, despite contentious and heart felt debate, the iPhone is still considered by most to be the total package.

However, Google has been making large strides and inroads into the smartphone arena. The Android operating system is being pushed by major hardware carriers (HTC, Samsung, Motorola, LG, etc.), is continually running on top of the latest and greatest hardware enhancements to hit the market, sits on a large line of smartphone devices, is carried by all major wireless providers, and is available to us, the end user, in a wide range of affordable price points. In short, Android users are treated to a steady stream of new smartphones, with updated hardware, and the releases abound year round.

Developers realize this, are on board, and have been busily adding to the ever growing Google Marketplace app store. Of course, these synergies feed off of each other and have been the catalyst for strong growth with not much standing in the way of future Android growth.

Apple knows this and is, in my opinion, making the moves to write the next chapter of our mobile gadget future.

If Apple is going to remain the 800 pound gorilla, they will look to take Google's Android mobile operating system head on. To do this, they need the iPhone available on all major wireless carriers and they need an iPod-esque line of iPhones to allow users of all economic ranges to be able to afford an iPhone.

With a unifying IOS (as Apple has promised with their future IOS 5), they immediately set themselves apart from the fractured Android operating system. Depending upon the manufacturer of your smartphone and the price point of the phone a consumer is buying, the Android user base is fractured in between different versions of the Android operating system, various releases of each version of the operating systems, and, sitting on top of the stock Android operating system, a different user interface is implemented by each smartphone manufacturer.

As a result, some Apps and features might be available on one Android smartphone, yet not on another. Apple has never been a fan of a complex product that allows infinite customization by their user base and will look to exploit this highly publicized chink in the Android armor.

Apple is not going to rival this, but, at the speed in which hardware advancements are being made for mobile gadgets, it's going to become nearly impossible for Apple to stick with a "once a year" smartphone product release if they want to remain competitive.

Since we're working off of nothing more than pure rumors and speculation, I may be reading too much into this and the iPhone launch has been and will continue to be delayed for basic and very obvious reasons.

Supply disruptions are well chronicled and problems do arise when a company is dealing with such a large production. However, Apple has the power and the bank roll to change courses and correct issues such as these with relative ease.

As it now should be clear from my post, I think there's a lot more jostling for position going on behind the scenes. I'm not suggesting Apple is disjointed, as you don't get to their position by compiling mistake on top of mistake, but I do believe there are a number of changes underway that are making things very interesting.

Is it as complex as I'm making it out to be or am I simply engaging in free hype and PR for Apple? Sound off in the comments and let me know what you think!