Though the new iPhone 5 arrival is still far away, leaks are getting out about a possible November 21 launch date, a hardware change that'll render your current case unusable, the screen size, and NFC.

We've heard a few rumors before about the iPhone 5, most notably that its launch has been delayed well beyond a typical June/July release timeframe. But in recent days, so much information has bubbled up about the next version of the iPhone that we're almost be tempted to wonder if it's not due sooner rather than later. Almost.
November 21 Launch Date in U.K.
U.K. cell phone retailer Phones4U has hinted it's received word from Apple that November 21 is the launch date for the next-gen iPhone, a Monday. If this proves true, and Apple holds to its recent plan of launching new iDevices in the U.S., U.K., and a handful of other nations on its first launch day, then we can expect a November 21 arrival in the U.S. too. There're a few issues with this rumor, starting with the indirect nature of the data from Apple, and the fact that Friday is Apple's usually preferred launch day for the iPhone--presumably to maximize the weekend purchase windows--but Apple seems to be changing its plans for the iPhone this year, so we're not sure.
No NFC
Despite much speculation to the contrary, Bernstein Research is suggesting that the iPhone 5 won't support wireless NFC technology after all. Analysts suggest that despite the fact NFC could add $15 billion to $30 billion in revenues to high-end smartphone firms, the tech simply isn't ready enough to add to Apple's flagship device.

This contradicts many earlier rumors, and would leave Apple looking particularly isolated in terms of the on-rushing NFC revolution--a change that's seen Nokia and Google adopt NFC powers for their smartphone offerings.