In a recent Japanese-language TV program, a Foxconn recruiter in Taiyuan, China was found saying that Apple will release its next-generation iPhone in June. This was seen in one of the recorded scenes where a woman asked a Foxconn recruiter how many people the factory is seeking to hire. The recruiter responded saying that they were “looking for 18,000 employees… for the fifth-generation phone.” When questioned whether the number was based off the demand for the next-gen iPhone, the recruiter responded with “That’s right. It will come out in June.”

Although the iPhone 4S is technically the fifth-generation iPhone, many continue to refer to the upcoming sixth-generation iPhone as the “iPhone 5.”

According to the report, Foxconn already employs 80,000 workers at its Taiyuan plant. The manufacturer has long been Apple’s main partner for producing the iPhone. Furthermore, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook even visited one of the Foxconn factories in Zhengzhou, China recently to oversee the conditions.

Despite the Foxconn recruiter’s words, a June date remains highly questionable. It isn’t exactly clear how a low-level employee within the company would know of Apple’s release schedule, which the Cupertino California company keeps under the wraps very carefully typically. Another issue would be the fact that the next-generation iPhone would be released too soon after the iPhone 4S, which many users complain about even when just thinking about it. Last but not least, the rumor conflicts with multiple reports that suggest the iPhone will arrive in September or October of this year, following Apple’s newly set trend from last year.

via modmyi