Apple may be planning a major redesign for the next-generation iPhone after all, contrary to most previous rumors and expectations. Boy Genius Report claims to have "independently confirmed" that the updated iPhone, which may either be the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5, will not just be a maintenance release with marginal speed bumps. Instead, it will allegedly sport a "radical new case design," and Apple is considering holding a special event in August to announce the device.

BGR says it hasn't received any further details on the alleged new case design of the next-gen iPhone, only that it will fulfill users' wildest dreams and fantasies be very different than the iPhone 4. This follows previous rumors from last week that stated the next-gen iPhone was already in final testing and that final prototypes are currently out in the field before production this fall.

As for timing, the rumors have been converging on a fall release, which BGR's source seems to agree with. Apple typically holds a media event in September in order to introduce updates to iTunes and its various iPod lines, so many observers have expected Apple to roll in the iPhone update with those announcements. Apparently, a beginning-to-mid-August event may happen as well, according to the source, with availability following in the last week of that month. It's also worth noting that Digitimes claims that Apple has reduced its iPhone 4 orders in anticipation of a new device in the third quarter of the year.

Color us skeptical on the August claims—it takes a lot for Apple to break out of its own predefined patterns—but the company has already broken its pattern of a summer iPhone release, so anything is possible at this point.