Leaked KDDI Document Points To Summer Launch For iPhone 5S
by Joe White
April 29, 2013
Though most of us are expecting Apple's iPhone 5S handset to launch in the fall quarter, one leaked document indicates that the forthcoming smartphone will rather be available to preorder from June 20, 2013, with handsets reaching customers from the following month.
The document (pictured above), supposedly intended for employees of Japanese telecom KDDI's "au" wireless service, appeared online recently at the French news site NWE. In the leaked KDDI document, "iPhone 5S" is written and starred in red, and is declared to be Apple's forthcoming "new product." More specifically, the memo claims that preorders for the upcoming smartphone will begin on June 20, and that the handset will be available to purchase in store from July.
In addition, the document indicates that the iPhone 5S will feature a 13-megapixel camera, a fingerprint sensor, and adds that the product will ship with iOS 7 preinstalled.
With WWDC 2013 scheduled for June 10-14, the leaked information does fit in with Apple's plans, placing the suggested launch of iPhone 5S preorders one week from the four-day conference.
Before you get too excited, however, remember that Apple has been releasing new iPhone handsets in fall since 2011, starting with the iPhone 4S. Furthermore, during the company's recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at product "surprises" set to launch in the fall quarter. Though we'd previously heard that the iPhone 5S might reach fans in the summer, the above nevertheless indicates that a fall launch is equally likely.
We'll keep you updated with further information on the iPhone 5S as we receive it.