iPhone 5 to debut October 4

Apple will unveil the next incarnation of the iPhone on its corporate campus in Cupertino, California, instead of in San Francisco. Apple will debut its iPhone 5 on October 4, with new Chief Executive Tim Cook leading the show.

iPhone 5 to debut October 4

The report, citing unnamed sources close to the situation, said the new iPhone itself would go on sale "within a few weeks" of the announcement. Rumors have swirled for months about when exactly the new iPhone would arrive, with October looking increasingly likely. The iPhone 5 carries tremendous significance for Apple. The company faces mounting pressure from the Android realm, with a confusing array of budget-minded and high-end models, but Apple chooses to put many its eggs in many fewer baskets. That's worked out well for the iPhone 4, though, which has attained mainstream success.

The iPhone 4 has held up well under the competitive pressure. But with the breakneck pace of the smartphone market bringing higher-speed LTE networks, larger displays, NFC payments, and other features, Apple's flagship phone is starting to look a bit long in the tooth. The iPhone is important for many other companies besides Apple. Manufacturer Foxconn is said to be making 150,000 iPhone 5 models a day. Accessory makers, too, are champing at the bit, as exhibited by Case-Mate's premature publication of apparent iPhone 5 cases.