Apple's iPhone 5 out: smuggled from factory

Images of Apple’s latest iPhone that were reportedly smuggled out the Foxconn factory in China have now been leaked on the internet.

The picture is currently on tech website gizmodo.com.

As rumoured, the new phone clearly displays a smaller 19 pin dock. Built in a white frame, the unit, if it is the next generation iPhone 5, will give Apple watchers a look at the phone about two months before the actual launch.

The iPhone 4S was similarly smuggled out of its manufacturing facility in 2010 and images and videos leaked on the internet.

This is not the first time an iPhone5 rendering has been leaked.

Earlier this month tech site, Gotta Be Mobile released an image of the engineering sample of the new iPhone 5.

Gizmodo too had come out with several other renderings of the new phone.

It has been widely expected that Apple could release the new phone either in September or October.

There has been speculation during recent weeks about the actual release date, with some reports claiming that the phone could be released as early as August, although that looks unlikely.

Chips on delay

Meanwhile, a Chinese business daily is now reporting that there could be some delays in the release date of the new due to a shortage of chips.

According to wantchinatimes.com high-end chips used in the device are in short supply.

The chips in question are the 28-nanometer fabrication - an advanced production technology which Apple uses for its new device but known only to a few companies.

The newspaper quotes Gu Wenjun, an analyst with market research firm iSuppli.

The report also says the supply issue could be resolved only by the end of the year.

Quoting a spokesman for Qualcomm China the report adds that the problem arose during the second quarter of this year and that Qualcomm, will be able to tackle the 28nm chip undersupply only by the end of 2012.

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