iPhone 5 and iOS 6 launch: September 12th

Apple have sent out media invites for a September 12th launch of what is clearly indicated to be for the iPhone 5 (image above).

This follows very much in line with what we wrote about back in July about a September 12th launch for the iPhone 5.

So far the rumour mill for iPhone 5 specs has remained surprisingly consistent, with most every source converging on a clear set of agreed features:

1. Taller screen
2. New connection socket/lead
3. Slightly thinner
4. 4G support
5. Improved camera/video
6. Headphone jack at the bottom

These are all very much in line with summaries we posted on the iPhone 5: 10 features to expect.

In the meantime, the latest claimed “leaked iPhone video” posted on YouTube pretty much covers all the hardware rumours highlighted above:

There’s an obvious temptation to think it may be a clever fake – after all, that claimed prototype looks more like a Samsung smartphone than an Apple iPhone. ;)

However, it’s not just the iPhone 5 that will be new – we’ll also be expecting the launch of iOS 6.

(Oh, and here’s another iPhone 5 prototype video, claiming to show iOS 6 booting up):

So far, the rumour mill on iOS 6 has been pretty consistent, too:

1. Direct support for the new larger iPhone 5 screen
2. Siri to work better outside of the US, ie, locally in the UK
3. Passbook – an app to store tickets (which may circumvent NFC technology)
4. New Apple maps app to replace Google Maps
5. Improved Safari browsing, with iCloud Tab Syncing
6. Updated phone app, to include call blocking
7. Improved apps download – in the background, and without the need for a password for free apps

The actual problem is that if these rumours all prove true, the iPhone 5 will have been the worst kept secret among their product releases.

It therefore remains to be seen which are simply educated guesses, and also whether Apple will pull a few surprises from the hat.

Yet while we only have a week to see what the iPhone 5 will actually deliver, rumours continue that next month will see a new iPad mini released.

Already we’ve lined up the rumours on the iPad mini as an iPad 2 offshoot, effectively cannibalising old product lines.

Suggesting that, perhaps the most radical thing about the iPhone 5 will relate to an entirely new hardware redesign.

If rumours continue to be taken seriously.

That remains to be seen, but in the meantime, we’ll get the popcorn ready.