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We know it’s only been two months since you first cradled that iPhone 5 in your loving hands, but a new rumor claims that Apple is already ramping up trial production of the next model, which could arrive in the first quarter of next year.
DigiTimes is reporting that Apple may begin trial production of a so-called “iPhone 5S” in December, with an eye toward volume production in the first quarter of 2013.
The report comes from Chinese language newspaper Commercial Times, who claims the trial production will see initial volumes of 50,000 to 100,000 units next month, with Apple attempting to smooth over some of the rough spots in the current iPhone 5 production line.
“Facing low yield rates in the production of iPhone 5, Apple has accelerated the certification processes for related parts and components for the iPhone 5S,” a translation of the newspaper report reads.
There’s no word on exactly what this so-called “iPhone 5S” might bring to the table, but a Q1 2013 launch is likely to rankle Apple users who already feel stung by the company’s decision to push out a fourth-generation iPad only seven months after debuting the so-called “new” iPad earlier in the same year.
The report does claim that another new version of the iPad isn’t expected until the second quarter of next year, although previous rumors have pegged its release even later than that.
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