Rumour: Verizon iPhone To Launch February 3rd; announcement coming Tuesday [Updated]

BGR is reporting that the Verizon iPhone could launch as soon as February 3 according to sources close to Apple.

Sources reveal that Apple has requested all of its employees refrain from taking any holiday between February 3 and February 6. These dates fall on a Thursday through to Sunday, what seems to be the standard amount of time to collate weekend sales figures (remember the iPhone 4 sold 1.7 million units in its first three days?).

The dates have been confirmed to be in effect across several outlets in the U.S, with it also thought that employees from other regions could be asked to refrain from taking any vacation across a three week period starting in late January.

Over the past few days, new iPhone casings have been revealed in images and on video suggesting Apple has changed the location of the break points between the two antennas on the original iPhone 4, reducing issues that could affect a rumoured product refresh. Apple has since requested that the overview video be pulled, adding further credibility to these rumours.

The release dates are speculative, we aren’t able to confirm if Apple will even announce the Verizon iPhone. However, it has not been suggested Apple would be launching any other product or service in this allotted timeframe.

We will of course keep you updated, stay tuned for updates as they become available.

Update: It appears that the Wall Street Journal has a “person familiar” with the matter who says that an announcement by Verizon on Tuesday will be the launch of the iPhone. Just don’t expect Steve Jobs to be the one taking the stage. Remember, folks — this is a Verizon announcement of a phone that’s already been released. This is not the release of a new Apple product.