Recent reports indicate that the next-generation iPhone and the anticipated iOS 7 have shown up in the application logs of some developers.

"One developer showed us that Apple has been testing hardware relating to a new 'iPhone6,1′ identifier, powered by a device running iOS 7, which is expected to be released by Apple in the middle part of this year," reported The Next Web.

The Next Web also reported that the iPhone 5 bears the identifiers "iPhone5,1" and "iPhone 5,2", depending on the LTE model of the handset and the 4G bands on which the handset operates.

Device identifiers can indeed be easily faked, but The Next Web reports that these app requests come from an IP address that is located in Apple's Cupertino campus, which means that Apple may be testing application compatibility with the next-generation iPhone.

In May 2012, before the launch of iOS 6, reports indicated that some developer logs found devices running on iOS 6. Later on, in June 2012, Apple announced the iOS 6 at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple usually launches its operating system in May or June and a new iPhone in September or October. Going with the timeline of the product launch, it may appear that Apple will announce the iOS 7 in the middle of this year.

However, with many rumors flying thick and fast that the next-generation iPhone may make its appearance in March this year, it may not come as a surprise if the latest iOS is launched along with the next-generation iPhone - iPhone 6.

With the competition in the smartphone industry getting hotter and other rival companies preparing to launch their smartphones at the beginning of 2013, it will be interesting to see if Apple launches its next-generation iPhone and latest iOS in March this year.