New iPhone in June? Somebody seems to think so

Apple has a habit of refreshing its iPod and iPhone-type products on a pretty regular schedule, so a new iPhone in June really wouldn't be the surprise of the century, but now we've got word to that effect from the United Arab Emirates. Etisalat is picking up the iPhone 3G over there, along with providing support for existing iPhones sold on the gray market, but the writeup in Business 24/7 makes mention of a brand new iPhone hitting in June, which Etisalat will also get at launch. This could easily be a misunderstanding on the part of the reporter, a misquote, or a combination of signs, portents and omens, but it's certainly an interesting little tidbit. We'd have to think that anyone liable to get this story right would also be aware that a brand new iPhone would be worth more than a passing reference, but we suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Apple Insider also mentions rumblings of an upcoming iPhone having a fairly significant architecture overhaul -- that's mostly conjecture at this point, but might make sense (or room) for an iPhone nano. And you know how we love the iPhone nano.

[Via Apple Insider]

[NHAnimator @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:27AM]

...and this isn't some funny 'shopped image we just came up with for this article. All Engadget employees actually have this poster in their bedrooms.

Over their beds.

[ChillyCat @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:31AM]

iEye

You just won the Iphoney Douche-Bag Poster Fan-Child award

[absinthe party @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:32AM]

This picture needs to be scored by Dio, immediately.

[Riverhead @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:44AM]

"and that is S.J. the Wizard looking in the magical patent book to fend of the dark evil known as PRE"

Which patent book? Apple's or Palm's? Looks like he had both open when designing the iPhone...

[giuliop @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:09AM]

Yep, that's not unicorn: it's iEye with a Cornetto on his head.

And BTW, the iPhone design is beginning to look old and tired. Of course Apple knows that, but iEye craves for obsolescence.

[carlos @ Feb 4th 2009 5:44PM]

if any1 wants free iphone apps. Go 2 www.iphonehacks.weebly.com
pass the url around if u want.

[533mhz @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:28AM]

Here we go again, I heard its going to have a physical keyboard, I heard it's an iPhone Nano!
Let the rumors fly!

[Look_Around_You @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:46AM]

There are no real rumors.

There are just too many devices coming out, and the Apple fans are trying to seed BS to blogs and tech sites in order to keep Apple in the news. They know if you fling a rumor, there are still sites that will post it iHook, iLine, and iSinker.

[CraigJ @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:33AM]

the rumor is a lie.

[Jonathan @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:28AM]

Maybe it'll be revolutionary. I'm picturing a slide-out qwerty out of the bottom, mms, and cut and paste. Oh, and multitasking.

I think apple already owns all these patents anyway.

[neodorian @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:28AM]

Nah, they wouldn't add a keyboard. They have always prioritized thin and simple even when it means leaving out common features. Still, I would expect it to get a decent overhaul. Devices with Tegra or the processor from the Pre are demonstrating a much higher level of hardware capability than what is in the current iPhone. If they want to stay the gold standard for cool hardware they have to make sure they update regularly.

It is unfortunate that there will likely be no keyboard because I really love having a QWERTY. I bet it will have the processing capability to handle multitasking this time around though.

[Jonathan @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:52AM]

I was actually alluding to the Palm Pre.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 3rd 2009 1:06PM]

I think the next iphone - if it really does come in June, won't be a huge change. Maybe there will be a longer lasting battery and maybe their will be a smaller body but I think the only major change will be a Firmware update that brings Adobe Flash and possibly copy/ paste.

[Malikye @ Feb 3rd 2009 4:10PM]

"will be a Firmware update that brings Adobe Flash and possibly copy/ paste."

so you're hoping that the 3rd installment of the iPhone will have features that every phone has had since 6 years ago?

i doubt these new features will be in the new iPhone. what's up with these fanboys?! can they not see that the iPhone is just a toy? anyone that is over 16 years old and owns an iPhone needs to grow up.

[jeb @ Feb 3rd 2009 5:37PM]

"can they not see that the iPhone is just a toy? anyone that is over 16 years old and owns an iPhone needs to grow up."

no - the iPhone is a PHONE. It makes calls, it sends SMS, it lets you email, use the web, and have your ipod on you all the time. It has the capabilities to do a lot more. How can having a phone that does what a phone is supposed to do be a sign people need to grow up? i like mine because it does what a phone does and what an ipod does, in one package, nicely. I dont really care what else it can do, its serves its primary purpose, an ipod phone. Why precisely would i need to grow up? I can understand preferring other phones of similar purpose to the iPhone, but what it does it does VERY well, and at this point still no touchscreen phone works quite as nicely. Obviously that wont last forever, but what an insanely ignorant comment to make.

[bobogoobo @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:31AM]

too bad i just bought my iphone off ebay. o wells.

[Galley @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:31AM]

I want the 3G iPhone to knock my socks off, the iPhone 3G, did not.

[ahdok @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:33AM]

have you checked the app store? there's probably something that'll convert it into a vacuum cleaner to pull off your socks.

[ahdok @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:32AM]

The only thing stopping me buying an iPhone is bulk. It's way too big for me to carry comfortably in my pocket. I'd happily sacrifice a bunch of the functions for a phone that was half the size.

[Nomi @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:39AM]

Have you even used it? Its thinner than most smartphones...except the likes of the E71 and Blackjack.

[CraigJ @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:35AM]

the iPhone is very thin, and seriously, would you really want a smaller screen?

Personally I'd be fine if it was 3 or 4 mm thicker, had a bigger battery, and added another couple of cm to the screen size.

[Kinger @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:42AM]

You must really love your Razr
oh, dis.

[Jon @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:50AM]

Do you wear speedo's on a daily basis?
I can't imagine a pocket the iphone wouldn't fit into. Thinner could be good, but it's far from fat now.

[maveric101 @ Feb 3rd 2009 4:56PM]

i think he means width and height. i have one, and i would say it's on the upper end of what's comfortable to use.

[eggothewaffle @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:34AM]

What was that one argument always hurled at Microsoft/Vista?

"If it's so good, how come there's a new one coming out so soon?!?!?111!11"

[ill trooper @ Feb 3rd 2009 12:34PM]

C'mon, man, a June release would put it on a 'new version once a year' schedule - right on track with nearly every phone manufacturer, except for the ones that put out new versions even faster.

[Phoenix @ Feb 3rd 2009 1:00PM]

So it would be the same as everyone who doesn't do it differently?

[d889 @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:34AM]

meh it'll probably include all of the missing features that my 3 year old razr can do, maybe get more than one full day of battery charge, probably be even more of a 'gaming powerhouse' .... all while calling it 'revolutionary' ..... and people will praise them yet again.....

[mcgrewventures @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:38AM]

Maybe Apple could focus on helping AT&T with their TERRIBLE coverage instead of churing out new phones. 3G my ass. I switched to AT&T from Verizon after not having more than one or two dropped calls in five years. Now I have one or two a DAY. Lord almighty.

[ChillyCat @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:40AM]

regardless what is is...... you're still a DOUCHE-BAG

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:40AM]

either engadget gets a fail for linking twice to iphonenano tags within two consecutive sentences, or if engadget did such purposefully then engadget needs to post "another jobs company" at the bottom of its home page. (typed on an iMac by an apple fanboy)

[ChillyCat @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:43AM]

EDIT: iEye

You're still a worthless Douche-Bag

[nikster @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:02AM]

In other news, the sky is still blue.

[elyria711 @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:48AM]

RE: iEye

Why won't someone BAN that iEye jerk-off ??

13 year old's should be in school

[CraigJ @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:37AM]

well, he's a troll that's getting exactly what he wants: a lot of people talking about his posts.

Just click the little gray exclamation point. If enough people do that, engadget will get the point without feeding the troll.

[james @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:46AM]

The 3G was nice, but not enough of a change for me to leave my 1st gen - I love it (besides the Edge only and data vs incoming calls issue). The feel of the first was better, imo, i think it just looked better. point? none, besides I hope that the new model is the best of the 2 we've already had, and more.

[ChillyCat @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:49AM]

I checked..... yer still a worthless DOUCHE-BAG

[Randy @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:54AM]

I think we need a drinking game for every time one of the staff uses a unicorn in there update, either in picture or written form.

[juliewray60 @ Feb 3rd 2009 10:55AM]

AGREE !!

Mods here need to Ban the child that calls himself iEye

PLEASE Engadget : "BAN iEye"

[bigpinekey @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:00AM]

that goof ball iEye been trolling every ipone thread


why is it ?? that he is allowed to spam every iphone thread ?


i gotta agree with others and he should be BANNED


make that 3rd or 4th vote BAN iEye

[nikster @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:09AM]

The problem isn't iEye, it's everyone else. Ever heard you should not feed the trolls? No? I will explain: Trolls get a stiffie when people get upset about them. That's why they post ridiculous stuff.

Now imagine if every single post of iEye remained all by its lonesome, with no comments, and no one complaining about it. No one mentioning it. Nobody low ranking it, nobody reporting it. Do you know how quickly he'd stop posting? I'd give it a week max, but I think it would be more like two days.

That is way more efficient than banning him because he'll just come back under a new name. So why does the guy keep trolling? Because you got upset about it and posted something back. Stop it.

[Malikye @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:23AM]

nikster,

you are correct. just ignore the troll.

[ChillyCatz @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:58AM]

AMEN:

nikster, appreciate your words but it appears the good folks at Engadget got the word and did the proper thing.
It appears that all iEyes stuff is gone and possibly we won't be seeing him any further
NO mob needed or intended. Just some voices begging justice seemed to have prevailed.

[p64 @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:03AM]

If anyone knows anything about signs, portents and omens, it's John Hodgman.

Let's get him on the line.

[Newone @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:03AM]

My guess would be same formfactor, same size, same firmware, just a chipset overhaul, maybe even a change of processortype. Remember that apple has bought a company that's specialized in lowpower processors. The timeframe from buying until overhaul is about right.

Same phone, differend innerworks id say.

[teamdrivers2 @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:04AM]

ban ieye

i vote to ban ieye

[Magallanes @ Feb 3rd 2009 12:09PM]

Trolls can't be banned, flamed and excomulgated.

The only way to kill a troll is to left alone.

[Mike Fletcher @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:04AM]

I have a few friends that work for a corporate at&t and they have told me that they are seeing a vacation time blackout around that time. Not sure if its at&t being ready just in case, or if they know something we don't

[teamdrivers2 @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:07AM]

iEye needs and deserves to be permanently banned. Hes messed up more IPhone topics than anyone i've seen here.
Why is this allowed is a good question.

Therefore, add my vote to BAN iEye

[nikster @ Feb 3rd 2009 11:10AM]

Yes please let's all mob up and do something guaranteed to fail. Not.

See above.