Reports have emerged suggesting Apple board member Al Gore has confirmed Apple's next entries into its iPhone franchise will be hitting stores this October.

The claim first stemmed from The Next Web, it alleged that Al Gore had revealed that, in line with most current rumours, Apple planned to release "new iPhones" in October. The plural "iPhones" has since been taken as further evidence that Apple planns to release two new iPhone device.

To date despite the lack of official word from Apple, there are currently two prominent theories regarding the direction Apple will take for its next iPhone.

The first suggests that the company will attempt to break into the currently Android-dominated affordable smartphone market. The theory alleges that the company plans to release an updated budget version of its current iPhone 4 handset.

The second theory suggests that Apple is set to release a truly next-generation iPhone. Labelled the iPhone 5, the exact details of what changes and upgrades will be made to the device to improve it past Apple's current iPhone 4 vary Web site to Web site.

The Next Web's recent report has since been taken as proof that Apple plans to launch both the rumoured devices.

The news follows another rumour from tech site All Things Digital suggesting Apple's new CEO Tim Cook will announce the iPhone 5 during the company's next "big media event" on 4 October.

At the time this article was written Apple had not released any official information confirming or denying the latest slew of iPhone rumours.

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