More details about the presumably imminent release of the next iPhone have emerged , if the typically anonymous spate of Internet sources are to be believed . iMore , the first blog to publish reports that Apple plans to unveil its latest iteration of the smartphone on September 12 , is now saying that pre-orders will begin that day and that the phone will be released nine days later , on September 21 . Both reports from the blog cite `` sources that have provided iMore with accurate iPhone related launch dates in the past . '' Several other blogs later cited their own sources saying the September 12 date is likely correct . International launches in Europe and elsewhere will begin the first week of October , iMore said , possibly October 5 . Apple , to date , has made no official announcement . iPhone speculation has focused on a handful of expected new features , including a slightly larger screen , a smaller dock connector and NFC technology that would make it easier for shoppers to make payments through their phones . There are also varying opinions as to whether CEO Tim Cook might also unveil a smaller `` iPad Mini '' at the event . Once considered a no-go because of late CEO Steve Jobs ' statements that a smaller tablet would n't work , observers increasingly think Apple could offer one to compete with emerging competitors like Amazon 's Kindle Fire and Google 's Nexus 7 . Current iPhone owners seem convinced that a rollout is imminent . Last week , Ebay reported that it was seeing a surge in the number of people using the site for trade-in offers on their smartphones . The site 's `` Instant Sale '' feature , which offers a pre-determined amount for electronics based on what someone else has offered , saw its number of phone trade-in offers jump 70 % between July 30 and August 1 . That 's when the September 12 release-date rumors began circulating . On Tuesday , a working , 32GB iPhone 3GS got an instant $ 91 offer ; a 16GB iPhone 4 would bring in $ 176 ; and the top-end iPhone 4S , the 64GB model , would get $ 371 .
New reports set September 21 release date for iPhone 5 . Pre - orders will begin September 21 , says the Amazon . com are reporting increase in sales of used smartphones .