Apple may launch next-gen iPhone, 'iPad mini' at two separate media events

In a somewhat ambiguous post on his blog, the well-connected Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple on Thursday hinted that Apple may be preparing to debut a next-gen iPhone and 'iPad mini' at two separate media events.

The post was in response to a theory asserted by Daring Fireball's John Gruber, who posited that it would make more sense for Apple to stagger the release of the two rumored devices. Dalrymple responded, "Oh that Gruber is a smart fellow."

From Gruber's post titled "Sharing the Stage":

I’m thinking it makes more sense for Apple to hold two events. First, an iPhone event, focused solely on the new iPhone and iOS 6. Then, the iPhone ships nine days later, and there’s another wave of iPhone-focused attention as the reviews come out. Then, in the first or second week of October, Apple holds its traditional “music event”, exactly along the lines of the events at which they’ve been debuting new iPods for the last decade.

Apple is widely expected to debut the sixth-generation iPhone at a special event on Sept. 12, at which time pre-orders are said to begin. Further rumors point to a U.S. rollout starting Sept. 21. Not much is known of the smaller iPad's launch date as conflicting reports have pegged the device the debut at either the same iPhone event or at a later date.