On Friday, someone claiming to work for AT&T tipped Gizmodo about the vacation blackout dates:
"I'm an AT&T employee and my boss just announced that vacation requests for the end of September will be denied due to an "event blackout". Historically the only time they've done this was for an iPhone release. So we're looking at the last two weeks of September."
Most "iPhone 5" rumors nowadays point to a September launch, with hairs being split between the first or second half of the month. Earlier this week, Boy Genius Report said AT&T was asking employees to finish all employee training before the "influx of foot traffic" expected in the first half of September. Earlier this week an exec from Swisscom, a Swiss carrier, reportedly specified a September 5 launch date, though this was given less credence since September 5 coincides with the Labor Day public holiday in the United States.
No invites have been sent out, but Apple traditionally holds an iTunes-centric event every September, which is when most believe the next-generation iPhone will be launched.
The next-generation iPhone has been rumored to include a radically different, "teardrop"-shaped profile, an edge-to-edge screen, a powerful dual-core A5 processor (like the one used in the iPad 2), and wireless baseband chips from Qualcomm. There's even speculation that Apple may announce more than one iPhone when the time comes.
For a long list iPhone 5 rumors, check out "8 Likely iPhone 5 Rumors, and 2 Wild Ones" or click on the slideshow below.
Or if, like PCMag's lead mobile analyst Sasha Segan, you think I'm fueling the iPhone 5 rumor insanity, take comfort in the fact that if this rumor proves true the days of the "iPhone 5 reports" are numbered.