Speculation is mounting that Apple will announce a new version of its iPhone on 12 September and an "iPad mini" – a smaller version of its bestselling tablet – in October.
Dozens of leaked photos and samples from Apple's supply chain point to a longer, thinner phone with a larger screen and longer battery life – and a new nine-pin connector on its base, to the dismay of hundreds of companies that make accessories for the 30-pin connector on existing iPhones, iPads and iPods.
It also appears a virtual certainty that Apple will introduce a smaller tablet to build on the success its 10in iPad, which dominates the sector. "I was sceptical about it, but there are so many rumours from different sources – companies in China, colleagues in China – that it seems it's a reality," said Francisco Jeronimo, smartphones and tablets analyst for the research company IDC.
