Pegatron Technology ^[1], the Taiwanese consumer electronics manufacturer that filled orders for the iPhone 4, has received an order for 15 million iPhone 5s, according to DigiTimes. A piece ^[2] on The New York Times’ website points out that DigiTimes’ reports sometimes have a questionable relationship to fact, but that the rumored order makes intuitive sense. DigiTimes refers to the new model as the iPhone 4s in its report, indicating that the new device may show only small updates from the iPhone 4.

An order for 15 million units may seem inflated, wrote Darrell Etherington for GigaOM, but Apple could have any number of tricks up its sleek white sleeve. The United States is Apple’s strongest market with 155 percent growth in the last quarter, and China is showing increased interest in the smart phone. The anticipated release date would also line up nicely with the expiration of large numbers of 18-month contracts in the United Kingdom and the holiday shopping season.

Read more at The New York Times ^[2].