14 DAY TRIAL // Details leaked by The Guardian, which hopes to have a subscription-based iOS application out by Christmas, have fueled rumors that iOS 4.3 will be unveiled at an allegedly planned Apple event around December 9. Details are scarce, but the scenario is certainly not far fetched.
The publication in question announced that it planned to remove its current application from the iTunes App Store, to have it replaced with a brand new, subscription-based title, as well as a free, ad-supported version targeting the U.S. market.
AppleInsider ties the leak to a November rumor that said Apple was planning a release of iOS 4.3, which focuses on bringing “subscription billing APIs.”
This inclusion will allegedly provide the ability to have recurring app subscriptions through an iTunes account, the Apple-centric blog outlines.
For its part, techradar.com cites The Guardian as saying that “this change will happen globally pre-Christmas,” which led the tech site to believe that “the UK release date of Apple iOS 4.3 is imminent.”
AppleInsider, however, cites Jonathon Moore, The Guardian's mobile product manager himself, as saying, "We'll be launching the new app globally for the first time and although we can't confirm exactly when it will be available, we're working towards a pre-Christmas release."
Going by Moore’s statement, the iOS 4.3 launch may, or may not occur by mid-December.
Late last month, anonymous sources were telling MacStories that Apple had planned to release iOS 4.3 in mid-December, primarily aiming to enable users to subscribe to News Corp's alleged tablet-only newspaper, The Daily.
The update is also expected to incorporate AirPlay fixes, and other tweaks and improvements, according to the report in question.
At the time, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber chimed in to confirm that Apple had been in talks with News Corp. to launch The Daily exclusive iPad newspaper. The blogger is notorious for his connections in the Apple ecosystem, and highly accurate predictions.