Is it too early for the tech world to start breathlessly speculating about the next iPhone? Apparently not, if developer logs are any indication. A tantalizing bit of code that turned up in one--"iPhone 6,1"--suggests that Apple is already at work on its next Latest and Greatest.

Apple is relentlessly focused on the consumer market. So why should its development plans be of major concern to IT? Because Apple has been the chief drive of the "consumerization" movement in IT and the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend in particular. It has established itself as a luxury brand comparable to Rolex and Lexus--meaning that it has strong support in the C-suite. Moreover, Apple device users are active users: Apple devices are heavily outnumbered by Android, but dominate online mobile usage patterns.

All of which means that the IT community at midsize firms has an active interest in what Apple is up to.

Is iOS 7 Looming?

As Andrew Hoyle reports at CNET, the first hints of Apple's ongoing development plans have surfaced in the form of developer logs. One such log, shown to The Next Web, had a code line referencing "iPhone 6,1." The format is parallel to developer log references to iPhone 5,1 or 5,2 for variants of the current latest version, iPhone 5.

Developer logs also apparently refer to iOS 7, which sequentially would be the next release of Apple's mobile operating system.

No further details were available. The CNET report also cautioned that it was not certain whether the iPhone notations referred to a full next-generation release or a more modest upgrade, an iPhone 5S.

A cautious proviso is always in order when it comes to famously secretive Apple. However, the log code notations are certainly suggestive of a next-generation iPhone and operating system already under development. We may not learn much more until June, when Apple traditionally releases new developer versions at its WWDC event.

What to Expect?

In terms of features, the prospects for a next-generation iPhone remain wide open. In technical terms the next debut will probably not be earth-shattering: Smartphone technology has matured--largely along lines shaped by Apple in the first place.

All the same, the IT world can confidently expect a rising level of discussion and speculation about the next iPhone iteration. All of this will, moreover, take place against the background of ongoing pressure for BYOD. This, in turn, will compel IT managers to deal with the use and limitations of Apple and other consumer devices in the workplace.

This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.