Wait for iPhone 4 Grows as iPhone 5 Release Date Looms

If you are thinking of purchasing an iPhone 4, you’ll have to wait an extra 1 to 3 days for it to arrive, a jump in ship time that is evidence of low inventory levels. Low inventory levels are typical before Apple releases a new product, like the iPhone 5.

Typically iPhone orders ship within 24 hours, but the current ship times have jumped as Apple has likely cut back on production in order to sell off much of the iPhone 4 stock in warehouses around the country. We have seen similar shipping delays tied to past Apple product releases for the iPhone, iPad and MacBooks.

This report comes weeks ahead of an anticipated iPhone 5 announcement, and possibly a month ahead of a general iPhone 5 release date in October.

If we start to see limited stock on hand at retail stores, this will be a further indication of low stock.

While Apple will likely continue to make the iPhone 4 as a cheaper iPhone option, replacing the iPhone 3GS, production is likely scaled back to focus on the iPhone 5 manufacturing, which is pegged at 150,000 a day.

At this point, we expect that the iPhone 5 will have a higher resolution 8MP camera, larger 4″ display and may sport a new tapered design.