Several GeekWebGuides readers have pointed out that case company Otterbox, which gained some publicity yesterday for the discovery of boxes for a new "iPhone 4S" case, is currently featuring a promotional banner on its website that some have suggested could be a hint at Apple releasing both iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 models next month.
But TUAW answered the question by reaching out to Otterbox for comment, with a company representative noting that the banner is simply intended to suggest that Otterbox will be ready with case offerings no matter what Apple announces.
We gave Kelly Richardson of Otterbox a call today and she clarified the matter. "We're not even quite sure ourselves," she told TUAW, talking about whether there would be one model or two.
She explained that the ad reflected the current conversations going on in the blogosphere. "Like many, we are watching the rumor sites and using information to plan ahead as much as we can." Otterbox promises support for whatever iPhone debuts, but they're emphatically not stating or leaking anything further. "We do not have any confidentiality agreements with Apple," Richardson told TUAW.
Richardson also addressed yesterday's case box leak, reporting that it was simply a packaging design and not any specific iPhone 4S case ready for launch.
Top Rated Comments
So they just checking the 'S' on their printers?
I guess their business depends on being on the market early. Everything - literally EVERYTHING they can do before launch, they will do. Makes sense. Having product design ready like cover design for the box. It is just too funny when stuff like this causes big waves. :D
If you see it from their perspective: iPhone XX comes out, you won't get off work until your part in product design or marketing is done. So, in order to get to sleep anytime soon after the launch/presentation, you do as much as you can in advance. :o
Making OS X look more iOS and filing lawsuits against every mobile electronic company in existence. And, yeah, they also changed CEOs.
And her statement about the pictures "What was circulating yesterday was not a case image for the iPhone 4S but a packaging design", also doesn't make a lot of sense in light of the context of the photos being from units that have arrived in AT&T corporate stores. Is she saying they are in the habit of doing a 3 million unit production run, shipping them into AT&T stores (without a PO in place for those specific units) as a way to test the packaging?