SlashGear

The iPhone 5 rumors continue, with the latest leaks suggesting that Apple will begin production of the fifth-generation smartphone in July this year. Reuter‘s trio of anonymous sources – all supposedly “familiar with the matter” – claim the Apple iPhone 5 will begin shipping in September, as well as throwing out a few tidbits about the specifications.

The new iOS handset, they reckon, will “look largely similar” to the existing iPhone 4, rather than mark a significant change in design direction. However it will have a faster processor.

That’s presumably the dual-core 1GHz Apple A5 chip found inside the iPad 2, which we’ve expected to form the heart of the iPhone 5 for some time now. As for the similar aesthetic, last we heard Apple was looking at replacing the iPhone 4′s glass back panel with a more durable metal panel.