Apple’s iPhone 5 event said to be held Oct. 4, starring CEO Tim Cook

Apple is gearing up for its iPhone 5 debut at an event on Tuesday, October 4, reports All Things Digital. And alongside the new iPhone, newly crowned CEO Tim Cook is also expected to be the star of the show.

Sources “close to the situation” (aren’t they always?) tell the site that Apple has targeted the October date. Other rumors have pointed to Apple announcing the iPhone 5 in late September, but All Things Digital was the first to report a potential October date last month.

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All Things Digital notes that Apple could still change the timing of the event. Nothing is set until the company actually sends out invites. Apple is also planning to make the iPhone 5 available for purchase within a few weeks of the event, the sources say.

It’s clear why the iPhone 5 is a big deal, but the event will also mark the first major product announcement for new Apple CEO Tim Cook. And just like Steve Jobs, Cook is expected to lead the iPhone 5 presentation himself, according to the sources. While Cook’s business savvy has been proven time and again, he will have to prove with his iPhone 5 presentation that he can also fill Steve Jobs’ role as an Apple product evangelist.

As All Things Digital points out, it couldn’t be any other way for Cook. Apple followers are used to having a single authoritative voice debut the company’s flagship products. Cook can’t pass the buck to anyone else, because it would undercut his standing as CEO and serve as a glaring reminder that things will never be the same again without Steve Jobs.