iPhone 5 Could Be 'Bigger' than Expected, Says Analyst Shaw Wu

Analyst Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee has learned that Apple’s fall iPhone refresh may be ‘bigger’ than previously estimated.

"Well, it turns out that we are picking up that this interim iPhone refresh in the Fall timeframe could be a bigger upgrade than we expected," Wu wrote.

"We believe this keeps the iPhone fresh and competitive and helps maintain its leadership position."

Some had previously speculated that Apple would release a minor iPhone update this year - the iPhone 4S.

According to multiple rumors, the device was pretty much the same as the current iPhone, only it would run on the A5 chip and have better cameras.

Now Wu says that supply chain sources have indicated that the new iPhone will have a slightly larger display, the same dual-core A5 silicon found in the iPad 2, a similar form factor and size to the iPhone 4, but a thinner bezel.

All in all, such specs would more appropriately corroborate the iPhone 5 moniker, rather than iPhone 4S.

"We believe this makes sense to improve the iPhone experience without making it too bulky as we have seen with models from competitors," Wu wrote.

However, the fifth-generation iPhone will not have 4G / LTE high-speed wireless data connectivity, Wu also learned.

According to the people Wu has been talking to, the long-term-evolution standard still takes its toll on battery life.

Network coverage is another issue that needs resolving, but Wu is confident Apple will be able to address these sometime soon, according to AppleInsider.

A person privy to Apple’s plans quoted by All Things D has allegedly learned that Apple plans to introduce its latest iPhone not in September, but in October.

“I don’t know why AT&T’s calling for all hands on deck those weeks, but it’s not for an iPhone launch,” the source familiar with Apple’s plans said.

Asked when exactly the new iPhone might be released, the source replied “October,” but declined to offer a specific date.