Allegedly, components for the next iPhone will commence shipping at the end of May, with a possibility of a
new device seeing release some time in third quarter. Foxconn Electronics chairman Terry Gou noted that he was expecting the company's financials to increase after April and May, but declined to comment on potential iPhone part orders.
The information comes via a report from the sometimes-accurate
DigiTimes, claiming knowledge from sources from the upstream supply chain. The same sources claim that Apple plans on releasing an iPhone with a
plastic casing to increase its global market share, primarily in the pay-as-you-go markets. The sources noted that if the components are produced and shipped smoothly, manufacturers can deliver the iPhones to retail in one or two weeks after delivery.
Rumors about the next iPhone abound, ranging from a merely incremental update similar to what Apple provided for successors to the iPhone 3g and 4, all the way to yet another form factor and massive
specification increases. Rumors about an alleged iPhone 5 prior to the iPhone 4s release were all wrong, and went as far as to have some accessory makers showcase cases made around a teardrop-shaped phone prior to release.