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AT&T vacation blackout points to mid-October iPhone launch; placeholders hit inventory system

Published Sep 27th, 2011 12:15PM EDT
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With reports circling that Apple’s next iPhone is due to launch on October 14th, BGR has received new information from a trusted AT&T source that seems to confirm a mid-October launch. AT&T has started to block all employee vacation requests for the first two weeks of October in order to have “all hands on deck.” Our source clarified that the dates are the first two works weeks starting on Monday, October 3rd and ending on Friday, October 14th. Our source also says it is normal for AT&T to extend a vacation blackout after it’s in place, or after an actual launch date is announced. More details after the break.

In addition to this vacation restriction for all AT&T employees, our source has confirmed that AT&T’s internal inventory system now lists six “new product” SKU placeholders as of this morning. Our source, who has witnessed several iPhone launches at AT&T, has indicated that these entries are most likely holding space for new iPhone models and/or unannounced iPhone-related Apple accessories. The inventory entries are not likely to be holding places for upcoming non-Apple handsets, our source said, as they normally appear by name in the inventory system even ahead of announcements. AT&T did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jonathan S. Geller
Jonathan Geller Founder, President & Editor-in-chief

Jonathan S. Geller founded Boy Genius Report, now known as BGR, in 2006. It became the biggest mobile news destination in the world by the end of 2009, and BGR was acquired by leading digital media company PMC in April 2010.

Jonathan is President of BGR Media, LLC., and Editor-in-chief of the BGR website.

What started as a side project at the age of 16, quickly transpired into 24-hour days and nights of sharing exclusive and breaking news about the mobile communications industry. BGR now reaches up to 100 million readers a month through the website, syndication partners, and additional channels.