This is right around the time Apple NORMALLY releases their new phones:

• iPhone – Jun 29th, 2007
• iPhone 3G – July 11th, 2008
• iPhone 3Gs – June 19th, 2009
• iPhone 4 – June 24th, 2010

 This is their current stock price after letting the hype build up

Now look, I’m not economist, and I definitely don’t have as many shares in Apple as I would like to, but let’s face it… it’s business! They are making their shareholders SOOOO happy by keeping this information behind closed doors. They know, based on evidence they’ve gathered from ALL of their past releases, that as soon as they announce the phone, show the features, get it on the market and start to sell it… stock prices will take a bit of a hit after the hype is all over. That’s how it goes in the “circle of life”. So Apple Inc. figures, “If stock prices are going to drop a little, might as well get them REALLY high before that happens, so the end results is still an increase”. That makes sense right?
I say hurray Apple! Way to go guys! In February of 2009 you were trading at $195/ share and have made your way up to almost $420/ share in one of the worst economies we’ve seen…. And this latest jump wasn’t even because you sold a product, it’s because people THINK you might sell a product. Truth of the matter is, no one has really confirmed the iPhone 5 is even in production.
Apple told their foreign suppliers to increase their productivity, and many people took that as a sign that the iPhone 5 is coming out. That and the fact that Apple has had a new phone EVERY year for… ever (it seems like that at least). So as you sit back waiting for the new peak in technology to hit stores, remember that NOW might be the time to buy a couple extra shares in this behemoth while you still can.
And may I say, whether it’s October 4th, 5th, or sometime in 2012, I sure as heck can’t wait to see if it lives up to all the hype. Pressures on Apple!