iPhone 5 Rumor Round-Up: Will New Phone Be Delayed?

March 29, 2011— -- Apple's newest device, the iPad 2, has barely been on store shelves for a month, but the Silicon Valley rumor mill is already churning out news about when the company's next product, the iPhone 5, will be released.

This week, the company announced the dates for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference -- the summer event at which Apple CEO Steve Jobs has traditionally released the company's latest smartphone models.

But the announcement's focus on software (not hardware, like the iPhone) left industry watchers wondering if the omission means that Apple will break with tradition and delay the iPhone 5 launch to later in the summer or fall.

Citing sources inside the company, respected Apple blogger Jim Dalrymple wrote on his blog The Loop that Apple fans should not expect any iPhones, iPads or Mac products to come out of the June event.

"Apple closed the door this morning on any speculation that it would announce new hardware at its Worldwide Developers conference saying it would focus on iOS and Mac OS," he said.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment from ABCNews.com, but in the past has said that it does not comment on rumor or speculation.

Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group, said that given parts shortages, it's possible that the company would delay the iPhone 5 launch to later in the year.

"They might push it back to make sure that they've got enough in stock so that stores have enough for people to buy," he said.

But he cautioned that during this time of year, Apple rumors tend to get kicked around online and not all of them are true.

"While all of these are possibiilties, we have to take them with a grain of salt," he said.