Apple issues invites for Sept 11 launch, two new iPhones tipped

UPDATE / Sept 4: Invites have gone to US media for a major Apple launch event on September 10 (September 11 NZT), the Wall Street Journal reports.

Quoting inside sources, the paper expects the company to break with tradition and launch two iPhones at the event: one a new high-end model, possibly featuring a fingerprint sensor, and definitely Apple's new iOS 7 software (see below).

The other is expected to be a low-cost model that abandon's previous iPhones' metal case, and comes in a variety of bright colours.

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Kiwi blogger finds more evidence for iOS 7, iPhone launch September 11

UPATE / Aug 27: Kiwi tech blogger Owen Williams has discovered more evidence that a new iPhone, and Apple's new iOS 7 software, will be launched September 10 (September 11 NZT).

Mr Williams - whose day job is with Xero - has highlighted an email software company Nuance to developers. The email says iOS 7 will be ready for general release September 10 - and the general release of a new version of iOS usually coincides with new Apple hardware.

Nuance is said to be behind some of the speech technology used by Siri. It also makes the Dragon Naturally Speaking software, which includes versions for iPhone and iPad.

New iPhone tipped for September 11

Aug 12: The Wall Street Journal is tipping a new iPhone for September 10 (September 11 NZT).

While new iPhone rumours are a dime a dozen, the Journal has a solid track record predicting the company's major product launches.

The only certainty is that the new iPhone will run Apple's new iOS 7 software, which has been in a beta (test release) version for software developers since June.

The child of Sir Jony Ives, iOS 7 abandons 3D effects and "skeuomorphic" elements of iOS 6, such as the Calendar with faux-leather stitching, and the iBooks faux-wood bookshelf.

Instead, Sir Jony offers flat or as some have called them "childlike" icons, and a lot of translucent effects (see Wellington iOS developer Layton Duncan's wrap up of iOS 7's pros and cons here).

Fingerprint sensor?
But iOS 7 will also be available as a free upgrade for older iPhones. What new features could we see specific to the new iPhone?

The Journal speculates there could be a fingerprint sensor, based on code uncovered in the iOS 7 beta, and Apple's $US356 million purchase of fingerprint security company AuthenTec last year.

Low-cost iPhone on the way?
The new iPhone rumour comes at a time when IDC has just released a tracking survey that shows Android's global market share hitting 80% (and Samsung accounting for 39% of Android shipments).

This leads the Journal to speculate Apple will introduce a lower-cost iPhone to reverse its market share decline.

However, historically in other product categories Apple has been happy to let others occupy the cheaper seats. And with the iPhone, years of rumour about a lower cost model have proved incorrect - although the company has left older models on the market at a cheaper price, creating a de facto budget model.