Sprint Staff Told to Not Discuss the iPhone 5

In a leaked memo, US mobile phone carrier Sprint has told its staff and customer representatives that they are not to get drawn into speculation about the possible arrival of the iPhone to the Sprint network.

Recent reports have suggested that Sprint could be joining the iPhone party with the release of the iPhone 5, bringing the number of US carriers stocking the device to three, with the possibility of T-Mobile also adding itself to the iPhone carrier roster…

The memo, discovered by SprintFeed, coaches Sprint’s staff on how to respond when asked about the iPhone, with the company response being, “Yes, I saw a few of those reports, I don’t have any information to share.”

Sprint’s message to its staff makes mention of the Wall Street Journal’s assertion that the iPhone 5 will join Sprint’s network in October, which fits in nicely with an expected release date for the device. Claims of a late-September to early-October timeframe have been rampant for weeks now, and the Journal seems extremely confident that this is indeed the case.

Sprint’s 52 million customers may be some way short of AT&T’s (99 million) and Verizon’s (106 million), but a potential 50+ million customers is not to be sniffed at. And with Apple recently ending AT&T’s exclusivity deal, more carriers coming online is surely an inevitability.

Exactly which iPhone will be available isn’t quite as obvious. Rumors and counter-rumors have been rife for some time now, with a potential iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 duelling it out for credibility.

Many industry pundits are suggesting that the next iPhone will see a complete redesign, while others seem convinced we’re in for a more evolutionary release.

Recent parts leaks suggest the latter, but we’re still quietly hoping that we will see both a 4S and iPhone 5 in the coming months.

[AppleInsider]