Apple's chip-hoarding stokes new iPhone speculation

Reports of a major flash memory order from Apple are fueling speculation that a new iPhone model is on the way.

According to a report from Taipei by Digitimes, chipmakers in Asia have received orders for NAND flash memory chips totaling nearly 100 million units.

If true, the reports could confirm speculation that Apple is planning to release a new iPhone model soon. Many in the industry have suggested that the company was looking to boost storage capacity for the handset as well as build a stripped-down iPhone model for emerging markets.

The company has traditionally marked late June as the release date for the iPhone, and with a summer release of the iPhone 3.0 software already promised and the company's annual Worldwide Developer Conference scheduled for May, news of a new iPhone model could be just around the corner.

If Apple does release a new iPhone model, it could trigger a very hot summer in the mobile phone market. Palm has already pegged July 1st as the release date for its much-anticipated Pre smartphone, while Toshiba is looking to launch its TG01 handset this summer as well.