Apple iPhone 5S: Release Date Just 4 Months Away?

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The time between iPhone releases might be a lot shorter than ever before.

After only launching the iPhone 5 in late September, Apple could rev up production as early as March for a debut of the next iPhone as soon as May, said Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White, in an investors note, reported on by BGR. The iPhone 5S (as it’s being called), which many analysts believe will offer some upgrades to the iPhone 5 but won’t necessarily be a full-blown redesign (think iPhone 4 and the 4S), “entails an expansion in both the color patterns and screen sizes with the next iPhone (i.e., likely called the iPhone 5S) that we currently believe will be launched in May/June with certain supply production starting in March/April.”

When it comes to specific colors, look for blue, pink and yellow to be added to the traditional black and white models it seems the iPhone might get almost as colorful as the iPod, which adopted various colors years ago. And for the first time, Apple might offer multiple screen sizes for a single model perhaps both a four-inch and a 3.3-inch iPhone 5S?

White says the new iPhone will help Apple’s stock rebound from its 25 percent decline late in 2012 to a potential $1,111 per share in 2013. He gives the stock a “buy” rating.

“We believe there is still plenty to look forward to at Apple, including … accelerating momentum with the iPad mini and continued strength with the iPad franchise at large.”

Until now, the shortest time period between iPhone launches has been 11 months, but Apple debuted a fourth-generation iPad and an iPad mini in September, only six months after the launch of the third-generation tablet.

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