London, (Pal Telegraph) - Rumours surrounding the iPhone 5’s release date have intensified after Sharp president, Takashi Okuda, accidentally let slip that shipment of displays destined for the upcoming handset will kick off this month.

"Shipments will start in August," he said during his company’s quarterly earnings call in Tokyo yesterday. However, he declined to give a specific date on when it will land, according to Reuters.

His comments further fuel reports that Apple is gearing up to launch its highly-anticipated iPhone 5 later in September.

Sharp was identified as an Apple supplier by the Californian firm last year, however, it’s believed the workload of manufacturing the displays is split between Sharp and two other companies – LG Display Co Ltd and Japan Display Inc.

The phone will reportedly be announced on September 12, alongside the rumoured iPad Mini, and subsequently released on September 21.

It means both devices will land in time for the pre-Christmas rush.

iPhone 5: Rumours

As expected we’ve seen a strong batch of iPhone 5 rumours circulate around the web, although Apple is keeping hush about everything until the blower’s official launch date, expected to be in September.

According to reports earlier this week, the Californian firm is expected to launch the phone, alongside the mooted iPad Mini, on September 12, and subsequently release both devices on September 21 – a mere nine days later.

It terms of its name, rumour has it the iPhone 5 could be called the ‘new iPhone’, keeping it in line with the third-generation iPad 3, which landed under the new iPad moniker.

In terms of specs, we could possibly be seeing a gorgeous 4-inch screen on the rumoured device, along with a sleek metal back and a 19-pin connector. It is also expected to be slimmer and longer.

“The new iPhone will indeed be longer and thinner than the iPhone 4 and 4S,” iLounge editor Jeremy Horwitz said.

“Approximate measurements are 125mm by 58.5mm by 7.4mm—a 10mm jump in height, nearly 2mm reduction in thickness, and virtually identical width.”

Ever wondered what the iPhone 5 would look like if it was made by Nike, Audi or even Rolex? Find out below in our iPhone 5 concepts video...