Apple has announced the release dates and availability for iPhone 4S on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and 97 international carriers, and here’s the break down:

US, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan.

• Pre-orders start on October 7
• In-store starts on October 14 at 8am

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

• October 28

40 more countries

• December 2011.

iOS 5 is slated to be released as a free update on October 12th for current iOS users. This is a bit different than in the past where iPod Touch users typically had to pay a fee of $9.95 for major iOS updates.

This probably means the rumored October 14th release date for the next hardware version of iPhone is right on track. Software typically is released officially just a few days beforehand so the new hardware can come with new software straight out of the box.

We’re still covering the Let’s Talk iPhone event live. Come chat with us!

There are a couple stories floating around the web tonight involving iOS 4.2 and it’s release date, with the usually reliable iPhoneHellas saying simply that it will arrive next Tuesday, November 16, and MacStories adding that it’s actually been pushed back to the 16th due to iPad Wi-Fi bugs and a new GM candidate will precede it.

For their part Apple has only ever said “November” when it comes to the iOS 4.2 release schedule.

Could next Tuesday be the day? If so, was it always scheduled to be the day or is it really a delay?

[iPhoneHellas, MacRumors, MacStories, thanks to everyone who sent these in!]

While Steve Jobs and Apple.com (the main US version of the site) say iOS 4.1 for iPhone and iPod touch is coming sometime “next week”, Apple.com/uk is cheeky enough to put a date on it — Wednesday, September 8.

Download the iOS 4.1 Software Update. Available on 8 September.

New highlight features include Game Center, iTunes TV rentals, Ping social music network, HDR photography, HD YouTube video uploads, and AVCRP stereo Bluetooth support (see our quick start video up top).

[Apple.com/uk/ via Engadget, thanks Phil!]

If you haven’t checked your AT&T eligibility date, you may want to. We noticed a couple weeks ago that AT&T was starting to roll back eligibility dates for some users, so here’s another reminder.

I picked up my 3GS on launch day and until yesterday, my upgrade eligibility date said 6/20/2010.  I didn’t expect mine to change if the next iPhone would appear after that date.  Well this morning, looks like I’m eligible right now.  As we all know, iPhone releases are typically done on a Friday. If the iPhone G4 was set to release on the 25th of this month or the 2nd of July, why would they be pushing back those who would already be eligible on that day?

Interesting indeed.  Could this mean an iPhone G4 could land on either the 11th or 18th of this month?  We are thinking that could be the case. What do you guys think?

You can check your AT&T eligibility at any time by either logging into your AT&T account and going to “Check Upgrade Options” on your account overview screen, or you can dial * NEW # (* 639 #) from your phone and you’ll get an automated text.  Check your eligibility and let us know if you see any changes!

The Examiner is claiming Apple will be training Apple Retail Store staff on the iPad starting March 10 followed by TV commercials to air starting March 15 (focusing on iBooks), and will likely be made available for sale March 26. (With overnight campers being rewarded with a “special gift”).

The sources are said to be “insiders” and a SoCal Apple Store Manager who wishes (obviously) to remain anonymous.

9to5Mac thinks the commercial might be the top secret little number shot back in August.

Sound reasonable? Anyone breaking out the camping gear? (Or are you watching, waiting, and considering gen 2 instead )

(And is this more reason than ever to get in on TiPb’s countdown to iPad give-away?)

Apple VP of iPhone Software, Scott Forstall, announced during the WWDC Keynote that iPhone 3.0 (see our massive walkthrough) will be available for one and all, next Tuesday, June 17.

Ladies and gentlemen, set iTunes for download!

During the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) Keynote, Apple VP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, announced the all new, third generation, iPhone 3G S… and the S stands for Speed!

Averaging 2x faster on most tasks, it also includes many of the recently rumored features like video recording, editing, and sharing, a digital compass, astounding voice control, and more.

Keep your browsers pointed to TiPb for continuing coverage throughout the day!

Gearlive (via BGR) is reporting that Apple will not only announce the third generation “iPhone video” (that’s the name they use, so we’ll mirror it here) this Monday, June 8, but actually have it available for sale at Apple stores the same day.

it will be available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB models. A 4GB model is in the works as well, but it won’t be available on Monday, and when it is released, it won’t be sold in Apple Stores. All the things you’ve been seeing about an auto-focus camera, compass, etc. are all true. A camera on front along with a camera on back, that is the real deal – although it may just be for you to take video of yourself, and not for iChat video communication (although that would freaking rock.) A faster processor is also a lock (although I have heard nothing on additional RAM, it would make sense.)

Gearlive basically thinks Apple was going to release in July, but are rushing it up in an effort to counteract the release of the Palm Pre tomorrow, June 6.

TiPb isn’t so sure. Last year’s iPhone 3G was announced at WWDC on June 9, was cleared by the FCC that same day (presumably to prevent leaks), and went on sale July 11. Could iPhone video get announced, clear FCC, and hit the streets all in one day?

Also, last year Apple announced their carrier partners at WWDC, and those carrier partners spent the next month unveiling rate plans, upgrade paths, etc. Has AT&T, or any carrier, breathed a word about an MMS plan for iPhones? A way to upgrade from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone video? Would releasing the iPhone video not create an immediate customer service nightmare for Apple and AT&T as everyone showed up, nothing but questions to ask?

We don’t know. Only Apple does. We know we want it though, and figure you do too. But could Apple really release the iPhone video this Monday?!

UPDATE: Full super-rumored specs list, via Engadget after the break!

ORIGINAL: Palm Pre announces a release date and all of a sudden iPhone and Apple blogs have to rumor up a next generation iPhone release date? Yep, that’s how we roll… right over the news cycles.

So when’s the rumor? July 17, 2009. And no, no idea if that’s an international roll-out like last year. Speaking of which, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G at WWDC 2008 and had it on sale July 11, so a similar pattern this year makes the kind of sense that does, even if July 17 just also happens to be the default date on every iCal instance in the world…

As to specs, pretty much what we’ve seen rumored already, 32GB, 3.5mp camera, video recording, digital compass, OLED screen, and here’s a kicker — illuminated Apple logo like the MacBooks.

How does that sound to you? Perfect timing? To soon? Too late? Too many crazy rumors, bring on WWDC already?!

[TUAW via AppleiPhoneApps]

• 32GB and 16GB storage (up from the current 16GB and 8GB models)
• $199 and $299 price points to be maintained
• 3.2-megapixel camera (up from the current 2-megapixel camera)
• Video-recording and editing capabilities
• Ability to send a picture & video via MMS
• Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device
• OLED screen
• 1.5 times the battery life of the current models
• Double the RAM and processing power
• Built-in FM transmitter
• Apple logo on back will glow
• Rubber-tread backing
• Sleeker design
• Built-in compass
• The camera, GPS, compass and Google map combined will identify photo and inform about photo locations
• Turn-by-turn directions

It’s here. Finally. The day everyone but iPhone users has been waiting for! No, not the release of the Palm Pre, silly. The release of the day it will finally be released! It’s been a long, hard epoch in the desert for our Palm faithful friends, so with snark firmly holstered, our sibling site Precentral.net has your official Palm Pre launch day details:

June 6th. $199 after $100 mail in rebate and a 2 year contract. Believe it. It will be at Sprint Stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Wal-Mart. The Touchstone dock will be available on the same day, $69.99 for the dock and battery door, or $49.99 for the dock alone and $19.99 for the battery door.

$100 mail-in rebate taken for granted (though we tend to forget those, or the checks seem to somehow get lost in the mail), the price is exactly the same for an 8GB Palm Pre as it was and is for an 8GB iPhone 3G. Sounds competitive. No doubt our friends at PreCentral.net are already lining up, camp gear packed and spirits high. (We’ll send pizza!)

Of course, Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicks off just two days later on June 8, where last year Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone 3G and this year anticipation is high that Phil Schiller will introduce the third generation iPhone.

So is Palm crazy to start selling the Pre right before WWDC, or crazy like a fox? Do they get a couple of days of peace before riding b-reel for the massive mainstream news blitz that comes with any new Apple hardware? Do Rubinstein and crew — the folks who left Apple and the iPhone to work on the Pre — get to pay a final, seasonal homage to their former employer? Or are they gambling that Apple won’t announce a new iPhone, or that people won’t want to wait the extra month or so for it to be released, and so in antici-pointment or impatience, jump on the already available Pre?

Should be a fun month, next!

According to Gizmodo, people “in the know” have let slip that the launch date for the iPhone 3G is quite a bit closer than we had thought: June 9th. The launch will be followed up by a nearly immediate release of the iPhone 3G for sale — that’s right away folks. Worldwide availability will follow very quickly with some mysterious “new sales policies.”

Last thing’s first: Giz believes that these new ‘policies’ will be more tightly integrated deals like “point-based upgrades, discounts for switchers, and service based subvention packages.” We humbly submit another idea: have you noticed that there has been a avalanche of carrier announcements worldwide in recent weeks. It’s becoming clear that Apple wants to sell this thing on as many carriers as possible as is much less likely to set up exclusives.

What if, and we’re just saying what if here, what if the iPhone 3G is unlocked by default. You take it home, you plug it into iTunes, and it offers to set you up with the carrier of your choice in your country (provided they’ve set it up with Apple) and a rebate check. If you’re not interested, no worries, the just get it set up with iTunes and stick your SIM in there.

First thing’s last: June 9th?! That’s much earlier than we expected, but we sure as heck aren’t complaining!

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