14 DAY TRIAL // As soon as Apple is done with the ceremonious introduction of the much-hyped iPhone 5, AT&T will be carrying the handset with the same level of enthusiasm as it has done for the past five years.
An AT&T insider reportedly told BGR that “the carrier is currently planning to launch Apple’s next-generation iPhone during the third or fourth week of September, with an all-hands-on-deck policy in place for employees that will extend through to the middle of October.”
The news falls in line with an older Wall Street Journal report on Apple’s (rumored) September 12 event, as it gives Apple and AT&T enough time to get ready for the physical rollout of the handset.
AT&T has been Apple’s primary partner in subsidising the iPhone ever since the original version debuted in 2007.
In the meanwhile, US carriers such as Verizon Wireless and Sprint hopped aboard to carry the elusive handset as well, while Europe offers cellular service through the likes of Orange, Vodafone, O2, and many others.
The next iPhone is expected to deliver a much improved experience on all levels, including cellular reception quality, and cellular standards too. For example, the iPhone 5 is almost certainly going to support the 4G / LTE wireless protocol.
If the latest hardware leaks are to be believed (and they’ve certainly drawn a realistic picture so far), the device will have an elongated design (compared to the current iPhones), with a bigger display.
The dock connector is said to have shrunk to the size of a micro USB plug, and the latest gossip is that it features 9 pins with the user being able to tether it either way.
Other changes reportedly include a relocated port − the headphone jack now living at the bottom of the handset − and redesigned speaker grills. The Home button is also said to be smaller than the one found on current-generation hardware.