The new generation iPhone (iPhone 5) could be launched in October, Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper reported Monday, quoting a human resource executive at Foxconn's Taiyuan factory.

"We've got the order [of the new iPhone], the release date will be around October," said the executive.

The HR head also confirmed that Foxconn's Taiyuan factory hired a large number of new workers in order to meet demand for the iPhone 5.

Previously, another Foxconn employee told media that the new iPhone might be launched in June and that Foxconn's Taiyuan factory planned to hire 18,000 workers so that Apple can launch the iPhone 5 as soon as possible.

Many in the industry believe that the iPhone will be launched this fall, one year after the release of the iPhone 4S.

Contact the writer of this story at: yanp@china.org.cn.