AT&T preparing for iPhone 5 launch in September

AT&T has begun preparing internally for the launch of the iPhone 5 in early to mid-September, according to the mobile site Boy Genius Report.

A “proven source” tells BGR that AT&T has asked employees, including those at retail stores, to finish employee training soon in preparation for a major influx of foot traffic in September. It doesn’t take a psychic to figure out what that means. We’ve sent a note for comment to AT&T and will report back when we hear more.

If true, the news supports rumors that Apple will announce the iPhone 5 in August in preparation for a September release. It also follows a report from MacRumors that claims Apple is increasing staff in its stores for August and September.

We’re tired of iPhone 5 rumors as well, but this report is worth considering if only because it buoys much of what we’ve already heard. And as we get closer to August, information about Apple’s next iPhone will become more accurate.

The iPhone 5 is expected to feature a thinner design and bigger (4-inch) screen than the iPhone 4. We expect the iPhone 5 to run Apple’s dual-core A5 chip (just like the iPad 2) and to include an improved 8-megapixel camera.