[Update] Digitimes: LTE-Enabled ‘iPhone 4S’ Unlikely to Launch This Year

More next generation iPhone rumours coming your way. This time around, Digitimes reports an Apple LTE-enabled ‘iPhone 4S’ is unlikely to launch in 2011, according to their sources:

Apple is likely to delay the launch of its LTE-enabled iPhones to 2012, said the sources, noting that the industry had also long been skeptical about the launch of LTE iPhones in 2011 as the implementation of LTE networks has not yet matured.

The current state of 4G wireless networks are still in their infancy, and Apple will only make a move to LTE when they feel it will meet their expectations. When the original iPhone launched, people were disappointed with Apple’s decision to go with EDGE-only. That decision resulted in tremendous battery life. It wasn’t until the second iteration, the iPhone 3G did Apple make the move to a higher capacity network.

Are we ready for an LTE-based iPhone yet? Networks in Canada have been testing LTE trials, but we’re far from nationwide coverage.

iPhone 4S Production to Start in August, Launch in September?

In another report, Digitimes claims the production of the iPhone 4S will start in August and launch as early as September, with 3G and CDMA chips from Qualcomm and an 8 megapixel camera. Omnivision Technologies and Largan Precision will supply image sensors lens kits.

Also, in preparation of the next iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 shipments will decrease:

Due to an inventory volume of 1.5-2 million units of iPhone 4 and the launch of iPhone 4S planned as early as September 2011, Apple has lowered its expected shipment volume of iPhone 4 for the second quarter of 2011 from 20 million units, to 17.5-18 million units consisting of 16 million units of the 3G version and 1.5-2 million units of the CDMA version, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

I can taste a new iPhone coming soon…are you excited?

[Digitimes]