Apple Bans Vacation Leaves in Mid October, Signaling Possible Release of New iPhone, iOS 5

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The rumor mill is abuzz with various speculations on when Apple will release the upcoming iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4GS). While some sources will cite suppliers and carrier memos, it seems Apple’s stores and employees themselves are a possible source as to when the refresh will be done.

Apple is reportedly blacking out a few days in the second week of October from vacation leaves, which means the company needs to beef up staffing and support during these days. This will usually point out to a product launch, when heavy demand is expected, and when Apple employees are expected to take care of orders, purchases and after-sales inquiries.

In particular, sources cite some locations banning their employees from taking leaves during the following days: October 9 to 12, and October 14 to 15. But what could these dates mean?

The first set of blocked-off dates could indicate the launch of the upcoming iOS 5 for existing iPhones, iPads and iPods. AppleCare divisions have been reportedly told to prepare for an influx of inquiries on iOS and updating on these days. Meanwhile, during these days, Twitter has reportedly scheduled a developer conference, with the topic focusing on tight integration with iOS 5. While these companies are often limited by NDAs on what they can share with the press, a public meeting discussing iOS 5 APIs and technologies will mean that the OS would have been released by then.

AppleInsider also cites the release timing of previous iOS updates, which preceded iDevice launches by a few days. Thus, if Apple were to launch iOS 5 by October 9, The second block of dates might be when Apple will launch the iPhone 5. And with Apple reportedly announcing the next-gen iPhone by October 4, they will then have 10 days or so to handle pre-orders before an actual launch.

With only two weeks, this is bound to be an exciting time for both iPhone users and for industry observers interested  in all things Apple.