iPhone 5 Ships September 21, Pre-Orders to Begin During Launch Event [Report]

Apple will kick off pre-orders of its next-generation handset on September 12, the day of the announcement, according to sources that have provided iMore with accurate information in the past. The device will become physically available in the US on September 21, the same sources said.

The blog spreads the news as a followup to an older story on Apple’s rumored event in September, noting that they’ve learned new details about the launch since.

Those details include the fact that “iPhone 5 pre-orders are currently planned to begin that same day, at least in the U.S,” and that “release is still planned for 9 days later, on September 21, 2012.” The sources leaking this information also said that the international rollout would begin in the first week of October, “likely October 5.”

iMore notes that this information is solid, coming from sources that have previously provided accurate information on iPhone refreshes.

“The information on the international launches comes from sources that have provided our network, Mobile Nations, with accurate information in the past,” says the blog.

We won’t have to wait until September 12 to find out if that’s, indeed, the launch date of the new iPhone.

Provided that Apple makes sure no leaks occur until then, the company will still give the media a heads up one week in advance, inviting select journalists to its chosen location for the ceremonious unveiling.

According to the latest leaks and rumors, the phone will have a bigger screen, a smaller dock connector, relocated ports and cameras, including a headphone jack living near the speaker grills.

The Home button is also said to have shrunk, and the chassis is said to be a unibody design. LTE is also on the table for this year’s iPhone refresh.