Apple’s carrier partners are currently testing LTE versions of its iOS software, fuelling speculation the technology will feature in the next version of the iPhone.
A property list file for the technology is included in the firmware of a test version of iOS currently being evaluated by operators. The listing – viewed and published by Boy Genius Report -, was leaked by one of the carriers testing the software, suggesting that Apple is preparing to make the leap to 4G.
However, BGR stops short of confirming the technology is a dead cert for the latest iPhone, noting only that Apple looks to be preparing for the launch of more commercial LTE networks.
The uncertainty over the exact feature list of Apple’s latest iPhone even extends to the name of the device.
France Telecom appears to have inadvertently confirmed the unit will be dubbed iPhone 5 by referencing the name in a job listing for an analyst intern. The operator fanned the flames of speculation by quickly removing the device reference from the advert, because it would breach Apple’s strict confidentiality clauses regarding the device, The Next Web reports.
Another point of debate is the launch date for the device. Reported leaks from the supply chain lend credence to rumors Apple has pushed the date back from September to early October, with DigiTimes revealing the vendor has cut 3Q component orders by up to two million units while increasing 4Q supplies six million to 20 million.
The iPhone 5 will account for up to 26 million of the 56 million iPhone units Apple plans to order in the second half of the year, the sources claim.