It seems like Apple fans can mark their calendar for the rumored September 20th launch of the new iPhones, as Verizon has reportedly blocked employee's vacations during that time.
While Apple hasn't even sent out invitations for its rumored September 10th iPhone and iOS 7 event, it's pretty safe to assume the event will happen on that day. It is now practically confirmed that Apple fans will be able to purchase the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on Friday, September 20th.
AT&T and T-Mobile have reportedly blocked employee's vacations prior to the launch and during the launch weekend, and now 9to5Mac is reporting that Verizon has blocked vacations from Sept. 18 through Sept. 22 to ensure it has enough staff on hand to meet the expected high demand of launching two new iPhones, something no carrier has had to deal with. It has been reported that some carriers have hired temporary workers in busy locations because in previous years it only had to focus on training staff on sales and support of a single iPhone. If history is any indicator of how busy stores will be on launch day, launching two highly anticipated iPhones could shatter records.
Apple is expected to launch its latest flagship smartphone, the iPhone 5S and a mid-range model, iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5S is expected to feature a new 4-inch 1136 x 640 IGZO display and include a fingerprint scanner on its display or home button. It will likely have an updated processor, probably Apple's A7 chip, and include 2GB of RAM. It will also have an upgraded high-end camera that will include a dual-LED flash (as evidenced by leaked images). Current rumors claim Apple will offer the iPhone 5S in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacities, with a larger battery (also seen in leaked images), and possibly a faster 4G LTE-Advanced radio.
The iPhone 5C will come in multicolored polycarbonate shells to keep the cost of the device down. Current rumors claim it feature the same 4-inch Retina Display, use the same internals found in the iPhone 5 and replace last year's flagship iPhone. This move would be uncharacteristic for Apple, as in all previous years it lowered the price of the existing model and made it a mid-range offering. Some theories are that Apple believes consumers want a new iPhone with a new design, not last year's model and are basically stuffing an iPhone 5 in a bright plastic shell to achieve this.
As always, we'll keep you updated on Apple's plans as more information becomes available.
