The Sprint iPhone

Whether it’s a reality or simply another example of the fast-turning iPhone 5 rumor mill, it’s news either way: Sprint will be getting the iPhone 5 in October according to WSJ.

The nations’ third-largest wireless service provider would be the third to receive the iPhone after Apple launched with AT&T in 2007 and brought in Verizon this year. It may also be enough to save the company from being crushed under the weight of Verizon and an AT&T/T-Mobile merger.

This poses a new question for current and future iPhone fans with AT&T and Verizon going to tiered pricing. If Sprint holds true to their current data pricing model, they may be an iPhone carrier to reckon with in a data-heavy tech world.

The report gives a certain level of bad news for Apple – October numbers will not be included in 4th fiscal quarter earnings. Getting it right is more important to the company that has more cash than the US government.