With only a few months to go until WWDC 2011, many people are expecting Apple to announce its fifth rendition of its industry-changing iPhone. It has become somewhat of a pattern for Apple to announce its latest improvements to iPhone during this event having done so for the 3G, 3Gs, and iPhone 4 models. However, buzz on the net is that WWDC will feature no such iPhone.

A report from AllThingsD, however, has suggested that WWDC will be a software only event and that this has been confirmed by a source close to Apple. If this is indeed the case then many people will probably be wondering why Apple has decided to change things up this year. I think there are a few things to consider here:

1) Apple is known for its marketing genius: Just when all of Apple’s biggest fans get comfortable with a product, or a trend, Apple switches it up. We’ve seen this with the iPod over the years, notebooks and desktops alike. Now, the iPhone and iPad are the hottest products on Apple’s shelves and, no doubt, shall receive the same lime light. If the suspense isn’t great enough, the release isn’t grand enough!

2) Even faster and more reliable 4G networks are on the horizon and as carriers begin their transition it is probably a good idea for phone manufacturer’s to find out when these changes will really occur. Having become a market leader on the mobile front, Apple will definitely be strategic with regard to adapting to changing technology as they maintain their position on the edge of innovation.

3) Cycles lead to patterns; patterns hurt sales. Years ago when I made my move from Blackberry to the first iPhone, I knew it was the future. I ranted and raved about how amazing it was and how much more I could do with it than any other phone. It took time for Apple to add some key features, but by the time iPhone 4 rolled around a lot of my friends were ready to drop their RIM devices in the lake and never look back. Timing, however, can work against us. A lot of my friends ask whether they should wait to switch to iPhone 5, how long it will be, and if it will truly be that much better. We all expect the new phone this summer as we’ve grown accustomed to, and we tend to be dissuaded from buying an older model on the heels of a new release. Apple may very well have realized that if they more strategically plot their releases they can more effectively control sales and revenue. Having this rumor even out in the wild can push someone waiting on an iPhone 5 to go ahead and pick up its predecessor tomorrow. How’s that for marketing?

4) Finally, supply issues or design catastrophes? It is possible that there are final kinks and quirks to settle before the release of the next iPhone. In addition, suppliers and manufacturers need to ensure that parts and labor are able to meet Apple’s global demand for new units. We’ve seen issues before with supply, but often these things are sorted out with time to spare.

Of course, this is entirely speculation on my behalf, but there are many possible reasons why Jobs and entourage would decide to change up the setting for the release of iPhone 5. Let us know what you think in the comments!