iOS 5 beta 8 coming this Friday, GM on the 23rd, iPhone 5 launch early October as rumored?

We have received some information from a trusted source surrounding upcoming release of iOS 5 that could help pinpoint a more specific launch time frame for the iPhone 5. Starting off, we have been told that even though Apple seeded iTunes 10.5 beta 8 last week, iOS 5 beta 8 won’t be released until this Friday. After beta 8, Apple will introduce a Gold Master build on or around September 23rd as has been rumored. We believe that build is what will be loaded onto the already-assembled iPhone 5 hardware currently waiting for final software in China. Apple will then request that carrier partners give technical acceptance to the Gold Master by October 5th if there are no issues with it. What’s not clear is what Apple will do if the Gold Master doesn’t pass technical acceptance for some reason, though odds are it will still be loaded on the iPhone 5 at launch with a software update made available almost immediately following the device’s release.