Did Al Gore confirm new 'iPhones' coming in October?

Did former Vice President of the United States and member of the board of directors of Apple confirm that new ‘iPhones’ are coming in October? It sure sounds like he did.

Speaking at the Discovery Invest Leadership Summit today, it has been confirmed that Gore had this to say about Apple’s (next) most anticipated product:

“Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month. That was a plug.”

OK, the October part has been widely rumored (October 4th looks like the most likely date), but what about the ‘iPhones’ bit? Did Gore mean ’iPhones’ as in ‘Apple will sell a LOT of iPhones!’ or was it meant in the ‘Apple will release multiple models of the iPhone’? There’s been a lot of speculation that Apple will release not only the iPhone 5 but a cheaper, cut-down version of the iPhone 4 to appeal to developing markets in the east and cheapskates in the west, so Gore uttering the word ‘iPhones’ has added fuel to the already white-hot flames of speculation.

I’m assuming that since Gore is on the Apple board of directors, he has a good idea what’s in the Apple pipeline, but I’m resisting the temptation to read too much into his use of the word ‘iPhones’ since it unclear from what he said what he actually meant.

Personally, I don’t see Apple announcing a cheaper iPhone at the same time as the iPhone 5. It’s just too much of a downer. Imagine Tim Cook after unveiling the iPhone 5 going ‘Oh, and one more thing … here’s a cheaper, less desirable version of what you just saw.’ Nah, I think that if Apple is going to release an iPhone-lite, it’ll be cone at a separate event and after a respectable amount of time has elapsed following the release of the iPhone 5.

Or Apple will do what it’s done previously and just discount the older version.

If you’re thinking of picking up an iPhone 4 any time soon, my advice - DON’T!