When Will Apple Release the iPhone 5?

Verizon (NYSE:VZ) is preparing its staff for something big next month, issuing an all-staff vacation blackout from September 21 until September 30, and speculators believe it’s the next iPhone launch.

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At this point, a September iPhone launch seems all but certain — after all, it’s been nearly a year since Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) released the last iteration of its top-selling smartphone, and tech blogs and insider sources have been churning out rumors since March, with the information becoming more credible and more specific as time progressed.

TechCrunch received a tip from a Verizon employee informing them of the blackout on September 21, which was already the rumored launch date of the new iPhone. The announcement for the next iPhone is expected to happen on September 12, when Apple is rumored to be holding a “special event.”

Verizon is one of the major U.S. carriers for the iPhone, and it’s not just credible but likely that Apple would tell them in advance when the new iPhone will launch to ensure that they are adequately staffed for the high volume of customers sure to be lining up around the block to get their hands on the latest iPhone model.

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