iPhone 5S Name Slips on Apple’s Website

It looks like the iPhone 5S has slipped ahead of its September launch date as the iPhone 5S name has been discovered lurking in source code on Apple’s Canadian website.

While the iPhone 5S name is thought to be the name of the next iPhone, it’s a name that remains unconfirmed and likely will remain that way until Apple takes the stage and announces it. However, there is some evidence that seems to back up those rumors as the iPhone 5S name has surfaced in the source code on the French version of Apple’s Canadian website.

The notorious evleaks produced a rather odd tweet today. The tweet, which was in French, pointed to a section on the Apple Store that seemed to hint at a mention of the iPhone 5S.

“Le filtre de confidentialité 3M™ pour iPhone 5S avec fini lustré intègre la technologie microvolets 3M…” source of: https://t.co/D03DOjmI0l

— @evleaks (@evleaks) August 23, 2013

However, deep within the cached page’s source code lies the name iPhone 5S. The full code looks like this:

Le filtre de confidentialité 3M™ pour iPhone 5S avec fini lustré intègre la technologie microvolets 3M et vous…

The message within the page’s source code translates to:

The 3M ™ Privacy Filter for iPhone 5S with gloss finish incorporates microshutters 3M technology and you …

What it’s referring to is a possible accessory for the iPhone 5S. 3M makes privacy filters for Apple products that help keep on-screen information private while also keeping the screen protected from things like dirt and dust. In other words, it looks like this is a high-quality screen protector for the iPhone 5S, a device that Apple hasn’t yet announced.

The page that is live right now does not have the ‘iPhone 5S’ in the source code.

It could be that someone at Apple slipped up and added code too soon, a coincidental mistake, or it could be a misdirection on Apple’s part. Given how buried the reference it is, it’s hard not to lean towards the former.

The iPhone 5S name is widely expected to be attached to the next iPhone. It’s thought to be retaining the same aluminum design and 4-inch display and thus, an ‘S’ moniker rather than a numbered one.

Apple’s iPhone 5S is expected to have a number of upgrades including an improved camera, better processor and fingerprint reader and it’s rumored to be hitting shelves alongside the cheaper iPhone 5C on September 20th.

Read: iOS 7 Release Date & Feature Roundup (Video).

Their release should come after the release of Apple’s new iOS software, iOS 7, which is set to bring a new look to owners of Apple’s older iPhones and iPads.

No iOS 7 release date is known but historically, Apple has released the software in between the iPhone launch date and the iPhone release date meaning it should fall somewhere in between September 10th and September 20th.