For months now, the prevailing thought was that Apple would use their Worldwide Developer's Conference to introduce a new iPhone. It's become a yearly ritual of sorts, so will Apple buck the trend? Analyst Gene Munster seems to think so, suggesting Apple will shift the focus to Snow Leopard, the new version of OS X.

Munster goes on to say that he expects an Apple Special Event to take place in late June, early July to introduce a family of iPhones. 

We continue to expect multiple models, possibly a high-end iPhone with
  improved specs from the current version and a low-end version with
  lower capacity and fewer features along with a reduced pricing plan.
  Such a model could also be used in Apple's launch of the iPhone into
  China as soon as the end of summer '09.

The announcement yesterday that Steve Jobs will not deliver the keynote on June 8th lends further evidence to support this theory. Jobs thrives on delivering big news and it doesn't get any bigger than the announcement of a new iPhone.

Palm has become a haven for ex-Apple employees, none bigger than Jon Rubenstein, who played a major role in the development of the iPod. Palm is rumored to be delivering the Palm Pre on June 7th, one day before WWDC. Is possible Palm knows something about Apple's plans or lack of plans to introduce a new iPhone. If the June 7th date is to be believed, that would put them in a PR buzzsaw should Apple announce a next generation iPhone on the following day.

Daring Fireball's Jon Gruber seems to think the stars are aligned for a new iPhone announcement and points to the Magnetometer found in iPhone OS 3.0.

....if there are any new hardware features — like say a video camera or magnetometer — that means new APIs, and if Apple wants to have WWDC sessions for the new hardware-specific APIs, they have to announce the hardware first.

Here we are just a few weeks away from Apple's big event, but the jury is out on whether or not Apple will introduce the iPhone we all expect is coming. Where do you stand? Will Apple use WWDC to introduce a new iPhone or can we expect Jobs to make a triumphant return set to the music of "We Are Family".

[via Business Insider]