iPhone 5 Release Date: September 21 As Apple Announces September 12 Event

It's finally official. After months of speculation and rumors, Apple has finally invited the media to a press conference on September 12 in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater. 

While the invite only says "It's almost here," there is a shadowed "5" underneath the giant "12," indicating that the announcement will most likely pertain to the iPhone 5.

This is only further confirmation that the iPhone will be available for purchase on September 21. 

While the official release date will not be given until the actual event on September 12, there are plenty of indicators that a September 21 release date is the most likely scenario. 

For starters, Apple has usually made previous iPhones available to the public around a week after revealing them to the public. 

Also, moves by wireless carriers indicate that there is something big happening starting on September 21.

Verizon announced vacation blackout dates for its employees from September 21-30, and AT&T soon followed suit. Both carriers clearly want all their employees available for some kind of big launch - and the most anticipated handset (of all time, many would argue) is the iPhone 5.

Sprint began discounting the iPhone 4S some weeks back, which probably means the carrier is trying to clear some shelf space for the oncoming onslaught of iPhone 5-hungry consumers.

Carriers T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular will most likely not be carrying the iPhone 5 at launch due to engineering issues as well as high subsidy costs.

The September 12 press invite confirms a report released by website iMore back in July. The same report also stated that the iPhone 5 would be released nine days later, on September 21.