iMore , which was the first source to claim that Apple will be holding its media event to introduce the next-generation iPhone on September 12, now reports that pre-orders for the device will begin on that same date ahead of the already-rumored first wave of launches on September 21. Apple's first launch wave typically includes the United States and perhaps a half dozen other countries, and iMore notes that the second wave of launches that will bring the device to additional countries is scheduled for the first week of October.

Apple told USA Today that demand for the newest iPad has been "off the charts" and that the initial batch had been sold out: "Customer response to the new iPad has been off the charts and the quantity available for pre-order has been purchased," Apple said in a statement. "Customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date." We previously reported that U.S. pre-orders had already been pushed past its March 16th launch date as of Friday morning

Tether, the company behind the iTether iOS app that Apple approved and then quickly removed from the App Store, has a new tethering solution. This time, it's HTML5 based and doesn't require downloading anything from the App Store.

Apple today sent out an email to users registered for its iWork.com beta noting that it will be discontinuing the service as of July 31. The discontinuation comes as Apple places its focus on iCloud, which offers users ways to keep documents in sync among their various iOS devices

As highlighted by SlashGear yesterday, the Wi-Fi + 4G iPad announced by Apple on Wednesday and launching in ten countries next Friday will not be compatible with LTE networks under development in most of the launch countries. Apple's LTE discussion during the media event focused on five carriers in the United States (AT&T and Verizon) and Canada (Bell, Rogers, and Telus), noting that international markets would have other options available for cellular connectivity.

Apple has now completely sold out of its launch day iPad allotment in its U.S. online store, with all 18 models now offering shipping estimates of March 19 for new orders. Accounting for shipment time, customers placing orders now shouldn't expect them to arrive until the middle of the week following the device's launch next Friday.

Ars Technica takes a look at the new 1080p content available on the iTunes Store, showing how a "High" compression profile for H.264-encoded content on the iPhone 4S and new iPad and Apple TV are minimizing the increase in file size needed to move from 720p to 1080p. Comparison of 720p (left) and 1080p (right) video quality in iTunes Store content In a survey of several titles now available in 1080p on the iTunes Store, the report found that file sizes generally increased by 15-25% over their respective 720p versions, despite the number of pixels more than doubling to reach the higher standard. The reason that the 1080p versions of the iTunes Store videos can be a good deal better without doubling the file size—or worse—can be found in the tech specs of the new AppleTV and the new iPad

The State of Texas today announced that Apple has committed to spend $304 million to expand its operations in Austin, seeking to add 3,600 employees to its facilities there. The new campus will more than double the size of Apple's workforce in Texas over the next decade, supporting the company's growing operations in the Americas with expanded customer support, sales and accounting functions for the region.

We've received word from several customers in the UK who ordered the new iPad immediately after launch that their orders have been delayed by several days.

In line with its previous announcement , China Telecom today launched the iPhone 4S, becoming the second carrier in the country to officially offer the iPhone for sale. With its 129 million mobile subscribers, China Telecom is a major new addition for Apple and the largest carrier to offer the iPhone on a CDMA network. M.I.C.