AT&T confirms iPhone 5 release date, maybe

Technology blog the Boy Genius Report recently stated that a high-level source within wireless service provider AT&T has confirmed the release date of the much-anticipated iPhone 5, the latest version of one of the world's most popular smartphones.

According to BGR, an AT&T vice president told a group of managers to "expect things to get really, really busy in the next 35-50 days, so prepare your teams accordingly." The latest rumors surrounding the release of the iPhone 5 have slated the device to be available publicly on October 7, with the pre-order period beginning about a week earlier on September 30.

Previous reports had slated the iPhone to be released as early as September 7, but news broke shortly after that a snag in the supply chain caused the date to be pushed back.

The release of the latest iPhone will almost certainly give Apple's already strong device an even greater boost. According to the latest comScore report, Apple commanded 8.7 percent of the original equipment manufacturer market and 26.6 percent of the smartphone platform market with its iOS mobile operating system in the three-month period ending in May.