RUMOR: iPHONE 5 LAUNCHING IN OCTOBER, NOT SEPTEMBER

Despite multiple reports suggesting Apple and AT&T are each blocking employee vacations and making preparations for increased foot traffic in September, a new rumor suggests the iPhone won’t actually launch until October. The Wall Street Journal blog AllThingsD cites multiple anonymous sources in claiming Apple’s next-generation iPhone will launch in October, possibly even late in the month. “I don’t know why AT&T’s calling for all hands on deck those weeks, but it’s not for an iPhone launch,” one of the blog’s sources said, responding to questions about why AT&T might have blacked out employee vacations in late September. Other sources the blog spoke with said the handset would launch late in the month.

Early reports suggested Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone would be a modest update featuring the same case design as the iPhone 4, but more recent reports say the device could feature a redesigned exterior that is slimmer, wider and longer than the current-generation iPhone.

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION INVESTIGATING AT&T/T-MOBILE MERGER

The Public Utilities Commission in California will investigate AT&T’s planned acquisition of T-Mobile, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The Golden state is one of three states that Sprint has asked to investigate the deal, the other two are West Virginia and Louisiana. “We believe a thorough investigation will reveal the negative implications for pricing, choice, and innovation critical to California’s economy,” Sprint’s public affairs manager, John Taylor, said. “Sprint is pleased that the commission will open up a proceeding to investigate the proposed takeover of T-Mobile by AT&T.” AT&T originally filed its informal notice with California’s Public Utilities Commission on May 3rd, and Sprint protested the filing on May 19th when it asked for a review of the merger. The regulators will consider three options, one of which is a choice to notify AT&T that its purchase is not “pre-approved” after the standard 30-day time period after an application is submitted. Sprint has opposed the acquisition from day one, and its CEO Dan Hesse said the deal would “stifle innovation” in the U.S. wireless market.

NEWSPAPERS LOOKING TO GALAXY TABLET AND PLAYBOOK

When the iPad was announced one of it's biggest fans were the magazine and newspaper publishers.  They were looking to this new device to help save their dwindling subscriptions.  Now, they are looking at both the Samsung Galaxy tablet and RIM's Blackberry Playbook.  The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today are rumored to all be working on Galaxy apps while The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times are investigating the Playbook.

The New York Times on the Galaxy tablet is suppose to come pre-loaded on some carriers versions and be free until January of next year when The Times starts charging for its website [Engadget]