The next-generation iPhone is rumored to have been given a September or October launch date, and there may be some truth to this one as analysts project that production is set to begin start later this month.

Based on inventory channel checks, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek speculates that small-batch production of low-cost iPhones began last month, while the production of the iPhone 5S will begin later this month and the devices will be launched in either September or October.

Misek estimates that 15 million iPhones, both the iPhone 5S and the low-cost version, are being produced.

So is there any truth to this speculation?  Based on Misek’s Apple TV prediction last year (which was wrong), this may just be a rumor and nothing more to it.  But if you analyze Apple’s product release cycle, Misek may be right on this one.

Russia Sticks its Fingers Up to the iPhone

Whether or not the iPhone 5S rumor is true, it’s looking less and less likely that the device will actually end up in Russia. Reason being, Russia’s three largest carriers have all turned round in the last week to say they’ll no longer be selling iPhones anymore.  But why the sudden rejection of Apple?

Fortune states three reasons:

Because there’s subsidized pricing in Russia, which means consumers can’t get an iPhone for a lower price and be tied to a carrier contract – they have to pay the full price of the device regardless;

Import duties and taxes makes the iPhone more expensive. A $649 16GB iPhone 5 in the US costs a staggering $918 in Russia.  According to Apple, $140 of the extra cost is Russian VAT (value-added tax), while a further $129 is due to foreign exchange, import duties and fees, and channel mark-up.  Fortune questions as to why “Apple has to pay channel mark-up at its own company-owned site”, further stating that it “may be one of those mysteries only its Irish subsidiary can answer.”

Competition – One Russian carrier, Beeline, dropped the iPhone because of Apple’s “draconian contract,” which prevent carriers from placing their own apps on the the device or even from putting carrier logos on the device.  Aside from that, the same contract prevents them from making money out of the phones. As Mobile TeleSystems CEO Andrei Dubovskov  puts it: “Apple wants operators to pay them huge money subsidizing iPhones and their promotion in Russia.”  So Russian carriers have opted for competitors such as Samsung and even Windows Phone devices, which saw an 8.2 percent increase last quarter compared to the 5.1 percent from a year earlier.

Apple App Upgrades

Though Russian carriers have snubbed the iPhone, apps for the device are being upgraded for the benefit of consumers.

Tumblr has just updated its app with a “very important” security fix after a flaw was discovered that allowed passwords to be compromised in certain circumstances.  Tumblr urges its users to update to the latest version as well as change their passwords.

Google also released an updated Google Maps for iOS, which now features support for the iPad and iPad mini.  Its navigation has been enhanced with incident reports and live traffic updates, plus a new ‘Explore’ function.  The Explore feature is integrated with Zagat ratings and Google Offers, and allows users to browse popular places such as restaurants, malls, and hotels.  In addition, the app now has indoor mapping functionality for malls, transit stations, and airports, putting it on a par with its Android and desktop versions.