iPhone 6 release date 'confirmed' by leaked picture

The launch date of the forthcoming iPhone 6 has appeared to be confirmed as a picture emerges of its supposed promotional art

Though the official release date of the iPhone 6 is yet to be confirmed, French writer Steve Hemmerstoffer has uploaded what he claimed to be promotional artwork for the new handset, bearing the date Tuesday September 9. Mr Hemmerstoffer alleged the artwork had been passed onto him by his “most trusted and loyal Chinese sources,” who had provided a very similar piece of artwork to him “just hours before the launch conference of the iPhone 5s”. The packaging uploaded on the blog appears to confirm the next iPhone's release date Credit: Photo: nowhereelse.fr

The iPhone 6's release date has appeared to be confirmed as an image of what a French site claims is its promotional artwork has emerged online.

Steve Hemmerstoffer, editor of French Apple fansite nowhereelse.fr uploaded a photograph of what he claimed was the company's new flagship smartphone's promotional artwork on Monday.

The card featured the date Tuesday September 9, tallying with previous reports Apple was planning a 'big media event' on the same date.

Mr Hemmerstoffer alleged the artwork had been passed onto him by his “most trusted and loyal Chinese sources,” who had provided a very similar piece of artwork to him “just hours before the launch conference of the iPhone 5s”.

The diagram suggests the handset's Sleep/Wake button has been repositioned from the top of the phone to its right hand side, a new rectangular design for the volume button and the continued presence of the Touch ID sensor in the home button from the 5s.

The Ring/Silent switch remains on the phone's left hand side, and a lightening connector which was first introduced into Apple products during 2012 with the iPhone 5.

A second source is alleged to have said the iPhone 6 will feature a 4.7-inch display and come in a 126 GB version, compared to current flagship the 5s' 4-inch screen and 64 GB maximum internal storage.

The iPhone 5s artwork Mr Hemmerstoffer posted online just hours before the product's launch

Rival site MacRumours has questioned the authenticity of the image, pointing out the artwork's font is not consistent with Apple's regular style. It also notes that the Monday 10 date displayed on the 5s' artwork card relates to the launch of iOS 7 on Monday June 10 2013, and not Tuesday September 10 - the date the 5s was officially launched.

It's previously been rumoured that the iPhone 6 will come in two sizes - 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches.