Apple becomes the focus of the technology universe on Wednesday as the world awaits a new iPhone with a big, beautiful touchscreen and connectivity to blazingly fast telecom networks. Apple has been tight-lipped about what is in store at its media event in San Francisco, but hinted at a keenly anticipated “iPhone 5” in invitations that bore the cryptic message “It’s almost here.” Leaks and rumors portray the new iPhone as having a larger touchscreen than its predecessor and say that it will be available by the end of the month. “They need to come out with a bigger screen since the market is clearly moving in that direction and they need to give the iPhone LTE 4G connectivity,” said NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker. “Both of those are features people want and Apple is clearly ready to make them part of the iPhone.” Telecom providers have been rolling out fourth-generation, or 4G, networks boasting top speeds for Internet-linked wireless devices. Demand for what is being referred to as “iPhone 5” is likely to be hot, with analysts convinced many people have put off purchases to wait for Apple’s latest. Canaccord Genuity brokerage told investors to expect record iPhone sales after a new model launches, and Piper Jaffray predicted that as many as 10mn could be bought during the week after launch. From gulf times.