iPhone 5 and iPad 3 suppliers prepare materials for September launch

Taiwanese companies involved in the manufacture of parts for the upcoming iPhone 5 and iPad 3 are preparing materials for production, ready for a September launch, with distribution commencing in October, according to tech site Digitimes.

Companies like Foxconn are firing up the infernal machine, ready to turn ordinary bits of metal into thousands upon thousands of new, desirable iGadgets, while other suppliers who handle things like batteries, touch panels and webcams are also gearing up.

Digitimes' sources say that Apple is planning on building 6-7 million iPhone 5s in the autumn. Apple's new tablet could be even slimmer and lighter, with its screen resolution increased.

One of the strongest rumours for the iPad 2 was an improved display, to bring the iPad's screen up to par with the iPhone 4's eye-bleedingly gorgeous Retina display (which has a 960x640 pixel, 326dpi screen). That didn't happen, but this latest report could be reason to get your hopes up again.

We're chewing our knuckles off with excitement at the prospect of a new iPhone -- we were expecting to see one unveiled at Apple's WWDC conference in early June. However, while the iPhone 5 was a no-show, we did get a formal introduction to iOS 5, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, that'll doubtless come bundled on the iPhone 5 and iPad 3.

We've also heard rumours that the next iPad will feature a 3D screen, and that it could measure a pocket-sized 7-inches, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab or BlackBerry PlayBook, although Jobs himself has spoken dismissively of 7-inch tablets, saying tablets smaller than 10-inches are only useful if you can sand down your fingers to use them. Ouch.

What are you hoping to see from the iPhone 5 and iPad 3? And is a September launch a smart move? Let us know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.