A pair of posts by Apple-centric bloggers John Gruber and Jim Dalrymple suggest that Apple may be planning to introduce the next-generation iPhone and a smaller iPad at separate events in September and October. In a post, Gruber remarked that Apple wouldn’t likely want reviews of the new devices to appear at the same time, thus competing against one other for media attention. “I’m thinking it makes more sense for Apple to hold two events. First, an iPhone event, focused solely on the new iPhone and iOS 6. Then, the iPhone ships nine days later, and there’s another wave of iPhone-focused attention as the reviews come out,” he writes. “Then, in the first or second week of October, Apple holds its traditional “music event”, exactly along the lines of the events at which they’ve been debuting new iPods for the last decade.” He adds that the small iPad, which he’s calling the “iPad Air,” could debut alongside new or updated iPods at the latter event.
In linking to Gruber’s article, Dalrymple cryptically calls Gruber a “smart fellow,” and quotes only the portion of Gruber’s piece that appears above. While such speculation would typically be passed over as exactly that, Gruber and Dalrymple are now being provided with advance information by Apple, sometimes as controlled leaks to adjust expectations ahead of anticipated product announcements. Claims of a single event for the new iPhone and smaller iPad were previously widely circulated, though iLounge stated in a July report that Apple may be planning two separate events for the next-generation iPhone and smaller iPad.
