Thinner and longer iPhone 5 may hit market in early August: report

An iPhone 4, left, and what is alleged to be an iPhone 5 prototype.
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The screen of the latest version of Apple's iPhone may be reduced by half a millimeter and its front camera may be moved to the top of the phone. The iPhone 5 may potentially hit the market as early as Aug. 7 due to strong competition from Samsung.

A photo of an iPhone 4 beside what is said to be a prototype for Apple's next smartphone has been posted online, showing the new phone to have a longer body than previous generations. Apple is also expected to use new touchscreen technology that will improve image quality and reduce the device's weight significantly, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Rumors say the iPhone 5 will hit the market soon as European telecom operators are reportedly stockpiling a new generation phone chip — nano SIM cards — which are said to have been designed for the thinner body of the iPhone 5, according to the Financial Times.

Telecom operators were caught off guard when Apple used micro SIM card on its iPhone 4 and first-generation iPad two years ago. The sales of the two devices were disrupted for two weeks after they were released because the telecom operators ran out of the special cards too quickly.

Another rumor suggests that Apple may launch its new smartphone as early as Aug. 7 due to the threat of Samsung's Galaxy S III, according to Gearburn, a tech website reporting on new gadgets and emerging markets. The website said the iPhone 5 is unlikely to hit the market at this stage despite the rumors but said the smartphone has entered production even though the new iOS 6 operating system still has a lot of bugs to fix. The end of the year is the most likely release date, Gearbun said.