On any given day, it’s not unusual to see a new Apple rumor pop up. But today is special. Today we’ve got not just one, but three Apple rumors regarding the launch of the iPad 3 and iPhone 5, plus a “Strange” event that may occur this month.
Let’s tackle these one by one, shall we?
iPad 3 in March
This supposed iPad 3 release date comes from the Japanese blog MacOtakara, which has a decent track record on Apple rumors. Last March, the blog reported that Apple’s next iPhone wouldn’t go into production until September, bucking the trend of a summer launch. That turned out to be spot-on, so let’s give them the benefit of the doubt here. If the iPad 3 doesn’t launch in March, April at the latest seems like a safe bet.
(MORE: Yup, the iPad 4 Rumors Have Begun)
iPhone 5 at WWDC
Every June, Apple holds the Worldwide Developers Conference, where software makers can come and learn how to make better apps. WWDC has also been the launching ground for new iPhones in 2008, 2009 and 2010, but last year, Apple held off until October for the iPhone 4S.
Now, a couple rumors suggest Apple will get back on track with a summer iPhone 5 release date. One report comes from 9to5Mac, citing an unnamed Foxconn employee, and the other comes from Daiwa Securities, cited by DigiTimes. But John Gruber, who’s very reliable on Apple rumors, refuted 9to5Mac’s report, and with Apple selling way more iPhones than ever, I see no reason why Apple would rush on a new model. At this point, the rumor of a summer iPhone 5 launch seems pretty shaky.
Mystery February Event
MacOtakara’s report also mentions that Apple will hold a “Strange” event this month, one that won’t be focused on products. As SlashGear notes, this could refer to a new service, similar to iCloud or iBooks Textbooks, instead of new hardware. My wildest guess is that Apple has finally made some new content deals with TV studios, setting the stage for an Apple television late this year, but I wouldn’t put much stock in this rumor until we know whether the event is even happening. Between last month’s iBooks event and an iPad 3 launch event rumored for March, cramming in yet another press conference seems unlike Apple.