Apr 13, 2011 15:21 GMT  ·  By

Apple has not yet released the iPhone 5 roadmap to Asian partners, according to sources at Taiwan-based touch panel makers, which refutes rumors of a traditional launch this summer. The news comes amid growing concern that 2011 will not witness the introduction of a new iPhone, but that may not be entirely accurate either.

Citing the lack of an iPhone 5 roadmap as a clear indication that there are no immediate plans to manufacture the new phone, sources talking to Asian publication Digitimes indicated that shipments for Apple's current iPhone 4 are steady.

Moreover, these people reportedly said, there is no timetable to stop current production in preparation for the new iPhone.

Perhaps it is worth noting that Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities told investors this week:

"Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon."

And while the iPhone 5 is expected to be a major revamp over its predecessor, what’s to stop Apple from maintaining buying momentum by introducing a low-end iPhone in the months to follow?

This speculation, stemming from the same report, is directly tied to presumed pressure from the rising popularity of Android devices.

Apple, so far, has shown little to no interest in developing an low-specced iPhone mini or iPhone nano.

But the introduction of such a model would do well to keep the hype going, perhaps even provide insight into what the next major revision would pack in terms of features.

Also, time is of the essence for Apple. With component supplies reported to be extremely tight - iPad 3 likely a year away as well - Apple needs some sparkle at WWDC 2011.

The already confirmed OS X Lion and a potential iOS 5 preview may not do for the company that lives and breaths hype.