Over the weekend, a few reports popped up that all seem to suggest one thing: The iPhone 5 launch is around the corner. Of course, as it’s customary to remind everyone, rumors are rumors, which is why they’re called rumors. Got it?

Several customers may perhaps be disappointed in the iPhone 5 release date shifting around these past few weeks. Consumers expected the iPhone 5 to be released in July or August. You might have seen speculations that the iPhone 5 might be released on Labor Day, but that day had passed and still no iPhone 5.

We expect Apple to launch the iPhone 5 this in the near future, along with iCloud and iOS 5, but there has yet to be an announcement on an official release date.  Previously, reports noted the potential iPhone 5 release timeline, which stepped backward through the events that need to happen before the iPhone 5 can land in stores and eventually your hands.

A report from Japanese site Macotakara claims that Apple OEM manufacturers have begun iPhone 5 production for an October launch.  Foxconn will allegedly assemble 85% of the units, with Petragon accounting for 15% of production volume.

If training has really begun the final build of the software, it should be almost complete, so it could be ready to install on the devices anytime soon.  It is also reported that Foxconn Technology and Pegatron Technology will be both assembling the new device, with Foxconn making the bulk of the units.

The latest rumoured date is October 21, based on what appears to be a leaked note from a branch of Best Buy in the US, which schedules an “Apple fixture installation” for 6am on that day. Though nothing official has been confirmed about the iPhone 5, there are various rumors about its specifications based on leaks from Asia, where the phone is assembled.  It is thought that the handset will have a slightly larger screen than its predecessor, a faster processor – the same A5 chip that powers the iPad 2 – and a better camera.

A BGR article says that an AT&T VP told several employees that the iPhone 5 is “slated to launch in early October,” and that he also told a group of managers to “[e]xpect things to get really, really busy in the next 35-50 days.” This is in keeping with recent reports that we’ll see the iPhone 5 announced in late September, with a release a little later in early October.  AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski was the first to claim assertively that October would be the iPhone 5′s launch month, based on information from an anonymous source.

Moreover, Sprint has scheduled a media event on October 7, which coincidentally is the rumored release date for Apple’s iPhone 5.  The service provider confirmed last week that they would be joining AT&T and Verizon in carrying this year’s most anticipated smartphone.  With an event scheduled by Sprint around the supposed release date, it seems that the rumors may be correct in stating that the next generation iPhone will be released on October 7.