iPhone 5c

Now that Apple's official iPhone announcement is only a week away, several photos of the iPhone 5C have leaked showing iPod-like packaging. Besides multiple colors on the exterior of the device, Apple adds the finishing touch of a matching iOS 7 background in the package. Chinese site iapps.im pulled the images down, but not after they were widely circulated on the web.

The iPhone 5C is expected to ship with the same internals as the iPhone 5. Instead of an aluminum and glass back, the less-expensive 5C comes with a plastic shell that's available in multiple colors. Pictured above is the blue version, while additional leaked photos show white, pink and yellow variations on the iPhone 5C.

It's official, Apple will unveil its next generation iPhone on September 10th at 10 a.m PT at its headquarters in Cupertino, California. This year's invite reads: "This should brighten everyone's day." The tagline is surrounded by colorful dots that are reminiscent of Apple's upcoming redesigned iOS 7 icons. The official invites were sent out one day before Samsung plans to announce several new products including a possible new smartwatch.

Apple is expected to announce the successor to the iPhone 5 called the iPhone 5S, along with a low-cost device dubbed the iPhone 5C. The next-generation iPhone is rumored to be getting a gold variant, while the new low-cost iPhone will be available in a wide array of colors. Rumored iPhone 5S specs include a faster A7 chip, a new sapphire Home button with a built-in fingerprint sensor and an improved 13MP camera.

T-Mobile has reportedly blacked out employee vacations between September 20th and 22nd, according to TMO News. Employee vacation blackouts normally occur around big product launches to ensure there are enough employees around to assist customers. The only known upcoming announcement is the Samsung Galaxy Note III on September 4th, but it is more likely T-Mobile is preparing for the launch of the rumored iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

Apple is expected to announce both the iPhone 5S and low cost iPhone 5C on September 10th. Apple typically announces new devices on a Tuesday or Wednesday before releasing them on a following Friday. This means a September 20th release date would fall in place with previous Apple product launches.

The iPhone 5C plastic shell has already been leaked in a rainbow of colors and from many different angles. Apple is expected to reveal the new, less expensive iPhone on September 10, but this hasn't stopped Sonny Dickson from showcasing the latest design. The video below not only shows the rear shell of the iPhone 5C in detail, it compares its form factor to existing iPhones.

Close up views of both the inside and outside of the part show an iPhone 5C with similar dimensions to the iPhone 5. In fact, the budget iPhone may share many of the same internal components as the current model iPhone, while the iPhone 5S is slated to receive upgrades. Development of the iPhone 5C could mean that Apple will stop selling older model iPhones at a reduced price, and almost certainly points to the end of iPhone 4 production.