Supply leak suggests iPhone nano in June

Taiwan-area newspaper Economic Daily News today claims that Apple is lining up chip suppliers for its heavily rumored iPhone nano. The report believes that both the well-known chip contracting firm Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company as well as United Microelectronics Corporation are "likely" to get the nod for manufacturing unspecified chips for the cellphone in March with the aim of an actual product launch in June or later.

Such plans previously haven't surfaced among rumors for the iPhone nano, which is expected to be both smaller and less expensive than the company's flagship. However, a recent analyst note has potentially supported the newer claims by reporting that AT&T hasn't yet tested the device in its labs, making any imminent launch unlikely if true.

Apple has yet to establish a definitive track record for new iPhone launches but so far has used its WWDC event in early summer to release details both of the final launch for the original iPhone as well as the introduction of the iPhone 3G.

Filed under: iPhone, industry, Apple
Other story tags: AT&T, TSMC, UMC