"This Week In Apple Rumors" is starting a little early this week.
On Monday Apple released iOS 5.1 to developers; this is good news for iPhone owners, as it means the general release of iOS 5.1, which should once and for all fix the battery drain problems, is coming soon. But Apple fans may have more than just a software upgrade to look forward to.
Apple blog 9to5Mac found a few interesting goodies in the code of iOS 5.1, namely references to a new iPad, iPhone and Apple TV.
First, the iPad: Last week the rumor mill churned up references to j1 and j2 iPads, internal code names for tablets in development (not necessarily products that will be released). In the iOS 5.1 code, 9to5Mac found a reference to an iPad 2,4, which the blog interprets as an upgrade to the current iPad 2 -- most likely a new iPad for Sprint with 4G WiMAX capability. The blog also found a reference to iPad 3,3, which might be the iPad 3, rumored for a March release with double the screen resolution of the current iPad.
Next, the iPhone: Yes, we've all heard a lot about the mythical iPhone 5, with the slimmer body, larger display screen and 4G capability. It was supposedly coming out in October, and many were disappointed when only the iPhone 4S was announced. No matter: Software developer Filippo Bigarella located a reference to the iPhone 5,1 in the iOS 5,1 code. Let the rampant speculation begin anew (as though it hadn't already, with rumors of 4G and 4-inch display screens already proliferating).
Finally, Apple TV: No, not the magical television set, or iTV, that Apple supposedly has planned for some time in 2012 or 2013, but the little black box that hooks your TV up to the Internet. A new one has been rumored to be coming in previous Apple rumors, and 9to5Mac pulled a reference to an upcoming update out of their magic code-searching hat.
A busy day for 9to5Mac writers!
These discoveries don't bring with them much new information, aside from the possibility of a wholly new iPad 2 for Sprint that would take advantage of their faster 4G WiMAX network. Otherwise, these are continued signs that Apple is working on new products: A new iPad 3 (most likely for March), a new iPhone 5 (for either the summer or October 2012) and a new Apple TV (rumored for this December or early 2012). This week in Apple rumors is heating up, and it is only Tuesday as of publication.
Check out our slideshow (below) for a refresher of the hottest Apple rumors from last week.
