As most know and no doubt the iOS faithful are extremely excited about, the iPhone 5 will at some point be released to the follower of Apple this year, whether that be in September or October as rumour has it still remains to be seen. However the word is that the iPhone 5 is now with carriers for testing possibly meaning a release of the iOS smartphone isn’t too far off.

According to an article over on The Guardian, Charles Arthur says, “my carrier sources tell me that the boxes in which the new iPhone hardware is encased have been transported to carriers for testing. This is an important step in the release cycle for any phone.”

Apparently the next iPhone is put out to carriers in sealed boxes so that carriers can test the device for network compatibility in their laboratories, and is all high security. Charles’ understanding is that not many inside the carriers get to take a peek inside said boxes and even if they do they will find that the iPhone 5 is disguised with a “dummy body.”

Basically we know that Apple tends to disguise their latest hardware due to a certain Apple employee leaving an iPhone 4 prototype in a bar, I’m sure you all remember that fiasco?

Anyway no doubt Apple has come up with some kind of covert system so they know if anyone happens to leak what’s inside these sealed boxes, and no doubt if anything got out from the carriers on the design of the iPhone 5 they wouldn’t wish to incur Apple’s wrath for leaking the handset before time.

However, knowledge that these iPhone 5 boxes are out there does mean the device is undergoing testing, which should only take a matter of weeks and then Apple can sign the handset off for manufacture.

Charles does say that, as Apple would want to maximise revenue with the iPhone 5 it seems plausible that the smartphone would be released in September rather than waiting for October, and his “gut feeling” is that Apple will deliver the iPhone 5 sometime in September.

So what do you think, does the fact that the iPhone 5 is now with carriers for testing signal that it is likely we will see the iOS smartphone surface in September?