iPhone 5 Release Date: Apple's Flagship Mobile Phone To Launch In September?

Leaked iPhone 5 Part (EtradeSupply)

The iPhone 5 release date was not revealed during Monday's Apple Worldwide Developers Conference but an analyst said the next-generation iPhone is likely to be launched in September.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reportedly said that the iPhone 5 will be unveiled in September.

"We expect Apple to unveil iOS 6 GM (Golden Master) in early September," Kuo wrote in a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider. "Based on the release schedule for iOS 6 GM, there is a very good chance iPhone 5 will start shipping also in early September."

The analyst, who has a good record of reporting accurate information regarding unannounced Apple products, had earlier confirmed rumors that the iPhone 5 will feature a new 4-inch display that utilizes in-cell touchscreen technology.

Kuo added that the iOS 6 will offer better integration with iCloud and Facebook as well as with the iTunes store and the App store.

iPhone 5 Rumored To Be Thinner, With Larger Screen

 iPhone 5 Concept Design (Urexsoft)

The iPhone 5 will reportedly feature a 20% thinner profile and a larger 4-inch screen. In addition, the new iPhone will sport a smaller dock connector and a scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 2 on the front.

The report came from the Apple-focused technology blog iLounge.com which said that the measurements of the iPhone 5 are estimated at "125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm--a 10mm jump in height, nearly 2mm reduction in thickness, and virtually identical width."

"According to our source, Apple will make one major change to the rear casing, adding a metal panel to the central back of the new iPhone." iLounge wrote. "This panel will be flat, not curved, and metal, not ceramic."

It added that instead of the much hyped Liquid Metal, the new generation iPhone will instead feature “Gorilla Glass 2," a 2nd-gen Gorilla Glass that is thinner than the original version, yet still offer the same strength.

Liquid Metal inventor Dr. Atakan Peker also said in a recent interview that the chances of a Liquidmetal iPhone are slim as Apple is likely a long way from actually using the alloy in large scale projects.

The iLounge report also said that  the iPhone 5 will have a smaller dock connector with fewer pins.

It, however, did not mention anything about the release date of the new iPhone. Some reports suggest that it could be in June at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, or as late as October.