It may only seem like yesterday that Apple launched the iPhone 4S, but the next version of the iPhone is already gearing up for the assembly line.

Apple news site 9to5Mac is citing sources at the Foxxconn manufacturing facility as reporting that the iPhone 5 will soon begin production.

Apple's top manufacturing partner is said to be readying its factories for the first stages of assembly.

If true, the report would put the next version of the iPhone on pace for arrival in most markets by the summer.

A June or July release would be in line with Apple's pattern of unveiling its new iPhone models early in the summer and then releasing the handsets to consumers several weeks later.

Of course, Apple could also decide to push the release back by a month or so in order to unload a bit more of its iPhone 4S stock.

After being delayed by several months, the 4S is still selling extremely well for Apple and the company might want to extend its run a bit longer, especially after the firm announced bumper financials for the previous quarter.

This included the sale of a staggering 132 million iPhone devices.

When Apple released its iPhone 4S last summer, the most talked-about feature was the Siri voice recognition software.

The tool allows users to give verbal commands and receive information ranging from weather to nearby restaurants and appointments. The platform was the one bright spot in what was otherwise a lukewarm critical reception for the 4S.

Where critics scoffed, however, consumers lunged for their wallets. The iPhone 4S was a retail hit and now it seems Siri is proving extremely popular as well.

Network research firm Arieso said that a recent study it conducted on iOS users shows that the 4S is by far the most data-hungry of Apple's devices. On average, the Siri-equipped handset consumes twice as much data as the iPhone 4 and three times more than the iPhone 3G.

Siri even got the better of the iPad 2 when it came to overall wireless broadband data consumption.

The report is good news for Apple and gives a bright outlook for Siri, but it could also spell trouble for wireless carriers. With many network providers already worrying about wireless bandwidth use, the expansion of the Siri platform with future iOS devices could put a strain on their infrastructure and accelerate the move to 4G services.

Consumer Reports has issued a recommendation for the Apple iPhone for the first time in two years.

The influential reviews company said in a review of the iPhone 4S that Apple has finally addressed the antenna problems which had throttled reception and prevented Consumer Reports from issuing its 'recommended' status on the handset.

"In special reception tests of the iPhone 4S that duplicated those we did on the iPhone 4, the newer phone did not display the same reception flaw, which involves a loss of signal strength when you touch a spot on the phone's lower left side while you're in an area with a weak signal," the company said.

Consumer Reports also overlooked the reports of battery draining software bugs, and noted the improved camera and Siri voice control system. As a result, the iPhone 4S has received the recommendation which eluded the iPhone 4.

The site did note, however, that the iPhone 4S failed to match up with the top-rated Android handsets from Samsung and Motorola.

While the review will be a nice feather in Apple's cap, it is not likely to have much of an impact on sales. The iPhone 4 racked up record sales despite the snub from Consumer Reports, and thus far the iPhone 4S has set records of its own even without the 'recommended' label.

Apple has admitted that several bugs in the recently launched iOS 5 operating system are to blame for the battery power problems experienced by users of the iPhone 4S and other Apple devices.

Thousands of iPhone 4S buyers reported problems with the smartphone on the Apple web site, complaining that the battery drains extremely quickly even with light use.

Some said that the 4S is unable to last a full day on a single charge when features such as push notifications and Wi-Fi are turned on for any significant period of time.

Apple finally responded to the concerns on Thursday in a brief statement.

"A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices," the firm said.

"We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks."

V3's tests of the iPhone 4S confirmed the battery issues. The phone needs charging more frequently than older models, and using the notifications feature to the maximum 15 minutes wipes the battery within half a day.

Apple has extended its GarageBand music platform into the mobile space with the release of GarageBand for iPhone and iPod Touch.

The iOS port of the home recording tool is available for $5 on the App Store platform, and follows the unveiling of GarageBand for iPad earlier this year. It also rounds out iOS availability for GarageBand.

Users will be able to record sound from an amplifier or mixing console through the handset's input jack or built-in microphone.

Mobile handsets might not be the ideal platform for sound recording, but there are some situations where having GarageBand on your iPhone could come in very handy. Performing musicians are one likely audience, as are podcast producers looking to record on location or at events.

Additionally, the iPhone app provides another option for capturing audio and then transporting it to a desktop or other large workstation.

The launch of the iPhone 4S was one of Apple's most succesful product releases ever, shifting upwards of four million units in its first 72 hours on the market.

The biggest numbers, however, may be yet to come. Apple has opened up pre-orders for the iPhone in nearly two dozen additional countries, kicking off a full-scale international rollout for the handset.

Among the 22 countries are Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, Spain and Mexico. The update builds on an initial rollout which included the US, UK, Germany and Japan. If the initial release is any indication, Apple will continue to pad out its already solid sales figures despite a lukewarm reception from critics.

The iPhone 4S has been panned for its lack of design updates and 4G connectivity, but tear-down studies have shown a number of significant hardware updates to the processor and memory level.

Additionally, the handset supports Apple's iOS 5 firmware update and the Siri voice control platform. An early review by V3 noted the improved processor and camera harware.

Two men who were alleged to have sold a lost prototype of the Apple iPhone 4 to blog site Gizmodo last year have been found guilty of misdemeanour theft.

Brian John Hogon, 22, and Sage Robert Wallower, 28, have been sentenced to one year's probation and 40 hours of community service, according to reports. Additionally, the pair have been ordered to pay Apple $250.

However, San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe has allowed the men to keep the $4,750 they made on the sale, while Gizmodo has not been punished for buying the device.

The device was found by the men after Apple software engineer Gray Powell left it in a German beer garden in Redwood City while out testing it in the field

"They were student technological geeks who did not intend to violate the law," Elizabeth Grossman, an attorney for Wallower, told the Wall Street Journal.

"The court recognised that this event was out of character."

After Gizmodo bought the prototype from the men, the blog posted details of its specifications as well as photos on its web site.

Apple took the case to court, arguing that by publishing details of the phone and its features, sales of its current Apple products would be impacted.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs intervened personally in trying to retrieve the device.

During the case, the US police had searched blog editor Jason Chen's home for evidence.

A 16-year-old boy and 21-year-old man are being held by police in connection with a raid on Apple's flagship London store in Covent Garden during the early hours of Monday morning.

It is believed that 14 people arrived at the store on mopeds and motorbikes at around 1am, before breaking into the shop and leaving with a number of iPads and other kit worth potentially thousands of pounds.

Members of the group are said to have worn crash helmets as they fled the scene.

The two were arrested at an address in Clerkenwell where one of the suspected mopeds was found, according to Crimestoppers.

"Although two men are in custody on suspicion of burglary, the inquiry continues and other persons are sought," said DS Nathan Tozer of Westminster CID said.

"It is essential that anyone who saw the smash-and-grab, or the suspects making off, contact us as soon as possible."

It is not known what other pieces of kit were stolen, although Apple stores worldwide will be preparing for the much-hyped launch of the iPhone 4S.