With the iPhone 5 release date expected in the coming weeks new reports have suggested that Apple is to ship between five and six million of the iOS 5 packing smartphones before the end of the month.

With much speculation surround the iPhone 5 release date a number of iPhone 5 rumours have suggested the fifth-generation device will not land until October whilst new reports from Chinese tech news site Digitimes has claimed the iPhone 4 follow-on will land this month.

Expected to touchdown packing a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera with 1080p Full HD video recording capabilities and a new slimmer form factor the iPhone is said to have already entered production with as many as 150,000 handsets being churned out a day.

Whilst iPhone 5 pictures are remaining stubbornly illusive earlier today a picture reportedly taken by the iPhone 5 camera leaked online.