While many people are controlling their urges to grab a hold of the iPhone 4 thinking the iPhone 5 will be launched in the near future, the actual release of the highly anticipated smart phone remains a whodunit.

Steve Job’s silence on the iPhone 5 at the WWDC conference this week confirmed the many speculations that there won’t be any release this summer. Hence, the waiting for the latest mobile sensation continues.

What’s causing the delay? Here are some speculations:

1. Battery supply issues
Apple’s major supplier ran out of its lithium ion batteries due to the recent quake in Japan. Apparently the materials Apple uses for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch are now on short supply due to production halt at Apple’s appointed manufacturer with no word on when the plant will be open again.

2. iPhone 4 white
The late release of the white version of iPhone 4 might have also affected the release of its successor. As it is still selling pretty well, Apple might stretch its trend up until the following year.

3. iPhone 4S
Common consensus has it that the iPhone 5 will not see a radical overhaul of the iPhone 4′s basic design, with some concluding that the anticipated iPhone 5 will actually be called the iPhone 4S to reflect an evolutionary rather than revolutionary step.
Rumours say Apple plans to launch the iPhone 4S in September, giving the real iPhone 5 a 2012 release date.