We’re firmly in iPhone rumor territory now, with three days to go before Apple announces whatever they have hidden up their sleeves. We may have a better idea as to what Apple will bestow upon us on the 4th now though, thanks to a leak from Apple’s own software team.
With iOS 5 in beta form, and speeding towards a final release, Apple has been allowing developers to test beta releases of iTunes also. The latest of those betas to be released, iTunes 10.5 Beta 9, has a sneaky mention of the upcoming iPhone, and it looks like we’re in for an iPhone 4S, and not the hoped-for iPhone 5.
Hidden inside the beta, 9to5Mac have found mention of an iPhone 4S specifically, along with an image which appears to be identical to the CDMA version of the current iPhone, the iPhone 4. This lends yet more credence to the claims that the next iPhone will be a mere speed bump, with the externals being almost identical to the iPhone 4.
Also of interest is the lack of variations mentioned in the beta. There appears to be no distinction between CDMA and GSM this time around, leading us to believe that the iPhone 4S will be a dual-mode handset, as the rumors have claimed for some time.
Apple seemingly didn’t want this to be found, as not long after its release, the 9th beta of iTunes 10.5 went missing from the iOS Developer Portal, only for it to mysteriously reappear. Oddly, the iPhone 4S name still seems to be present.
The iPhone 4S has been touted as the possible replacement for the iPhone 4 for a good while now, with improved internals believed to be housed inside a chassis almost identical to the iPhone 4, which we have to admit, would be a bit of a disappointment. What about the teardrop-shaped iPhone 5 we’ve been hearing so much about lately?
We would cling to the hope of seeing both an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 4S on Tuesday, but where is the mention of that in this iTunes Beta? Why would that be missing, yet the 4S would be there waiting for eagle-eyed bloggers to find?
Ether way, we don’t have to wait much longer until this guessing game comes to a close. Here’s hoping it won’t be a giant, iPhone-shaped disappointment.
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