Friday Apple Rumors: China Now World’s Top iPhone Purchaser

Here are your�Apple rumors�and AAPL news items for Friday:

China Now Top Purchaser of Apple Handhelds: Despite some business friction, China has fast become the world’s top activator of new iPhones and iPads. According to Bloomberg, China surpassed the U.S. as the top activator of Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) handhelds last month — averaging 23% of the world’s new activations above America’s 22%. The same phenomenon apparently was true around activation of�Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) tablets and smartphones, with China’s percent of monthly Android activations climbing to 23% against America’s 22%. Evidence points toward China rapidly becoming a voracious consumer of smartphone and tablet�technology�– as recently as January 2011, China only accounted for 8% of the world’s activations while the U.S. held 28%.

iPhone 5 May Get External Redesign, Launch Soon: According to a release from eWeek.com, theiPhone 5 might feature a renovated screen. Rumors are circulating that the next�generation�of Apple’s smartphone might feature a 4.6-inch “Retina Display” screen, replacing the iPhone’s traditional 3.5-inch fixture. There also is speculation that the iPhone 5 will debut with wireless LTE�compatibility,�as that feature was ingrained in the new iPad. While�unconfirmed,�rumors are building around a possible launch date in the second quarter of this year.

Next-Gen Macbooks in October?:�PopHerald reports that in addition to a possible 2012 iPhone 5 launch, new Macbooks might be coming this year as well. There is building premonition that Apple is planning 2012 as a debut spree — with consumer buzz sustained by next-gen Macbooks premiering in sequence with the iPhone 5. Apple recently has been�gaining laptop market share, gradually siphoning customers from main competitors�Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ).

Adam Patterson�is an Assistant Editor of InvestorPlace. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned�securities. For more from the company, check out our previous�Apple Rumors�stories.