iPhone and iPod Touch Rumors Collide in Apple Rumorpocalypse

What’s better than a blog post based on a single sketchy iPhone rumor? A blog post about three iPhone rumors, of course, with a side of iPod Touch speculation for good measure. First up is 9 to 5 Mac, which states that Apple is testing a new iPhone prototype. This device apparently uses a variation of the A5X processor that debuted in the new iPad and has 1 GB of RAM. If this rumor holds up, Apple will essentially be following a pattern from the last two years, where the specs of the latest iPad wound up in the iPhone later that year. (MORE: 50 Best iPhone Apps 2012) As for design, 9 to 5 Mac says Apple’s prototype uses the same case as the iPhone 4/4S, but that’s probably just a defense against leaks, not the final design. That brings us to rumor number two, via AppleInsider: Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is parroting the popular notion that Apple’s next iPhone will have an all-new design, with a 4-inch display instead of the 3.5-inch screen in all previous iPhones. White, who’s basing his report on a tour of suppliers in China and Taiwan, believes the next iPhone will have a “sleek” unibody design and support for 4G LTE networks. Contrary to dubious reports that the iPhone 5 would launch in June, our third rumor claims that Apple’s next phone will launch in October 2012, a year after the launch of the iPhone 4S. You can thank South Korea’s Maeil Business News (via Kotaku) for lending credence to what seems like a pretty safe bet. Finally, we come back to 9 to 5 Mac for rumor number four. Apparently, a bit of code inside iOS 5.1 hints at a new iPod Touch, with the internal product label “iPod 5,1.” Seeing as Apple hasn’t refreshed the iPod Touch since September 2010, I’d be surprised if a new model isn’t on the way. The question is timing, since I don’t think the company will go back to holding September events specifically for the iPod and iTunes. None of these reports contain any earth-shattering revelations, but as my colleague Harry McCracken noted, the most accurate iPhone rumors rarely do. Manage your expectations, and you won’t be disappointed when new iPhones and iPod Touches do come along.