Apple Inc. (AAPL): Production for This iDevice to Start This Month?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been saying for months that it would not be releasing new devices before the fall of 2013 at the earliest, which would put the company on a cycle of nearly one year between new devices, which is different from the recent trend of a six-month cycle before an updated device hits store shelves. There has been a lot of talk (including here) about a “budget” iPhone and questions whether Apple will skip the iPhone 5S and go straight to the iPhone 6.

Apparently, longtime Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) observer, analyst Peter Misek of Jefferies, has reported the latest information, which can be juxtaposed with some of the latest rumors that have floated around  regarding the iPhone franchise.

Misek said that his information from the supply chain indicates that an iPhone 5S will begin production in late July, which would put the official launch date in either late September or early October, which is consisent with the fall statement that CEO Tim Cook made back in the spring.

There is no word yet in terms of the retail price of the device, but word is the iPhone “Mini” – which is speculated to be the “budget” iPhone – may also release at around the same time and would retail in the $300-$400 price range.

The iPhone 5S by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to be the official launch device for the new iOS 7 platform, which is currently going through its third beta test now. Among the latest rumored specs for this new device, most of them are more internal upgrades, as the 5S on the outside is not expected to look a whole lot different than the iPhone 5.

Among the rumored changes, though are a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with a dual LED flash – a major upgrade in both features from the predecessor. There is also speculation that this new camera will feautre a “slow-motion capture feature called “Mogul,” which will go along with a camera posting a rumored video speed of 120 frames per second, which is very difficult to find in smartphone cameras nowadays – only the Samsung Galaxy S4 is believed to have this technology currently.

There is also talk that Apple is looking to rectify the loud complaint of the iPhone 5 having a short battery life, as there are indications that the interior of the 5S will have room for a larger battery and that the company will be looking to incorporate an “all-day” battery concept that it has used for its MacBook devices. The phone is also believed to run on an A7 processor (the iPhone 5 has an A6). And of course, one of the most talked-about and rumored feature upgrades is the installation of a fingerprint sensor to enhance security of the device.

What are your thoughts? Are you looking forward to an iPhone 5S, or is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) starting to get a little tired for you? What numbers do you think Apple would need to pull in with this new phone to please investors like fund manager David Einhorn (see his full equity portfolio)? Give us your feedback in the comments section below.

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