Here's more fodder for the iPhone 5 rumor mill: Word of an "ultra-thin" iPhone 5 was spread by a French Twitter user who posted online the picture of what he claims is Apple's upcoming smartphone.

The tipster says he snapped the image of what he calls the “latest iPhone” at the premises of a telecommunication service provider. Several tech Web sites have called into question the authenticity of the image. Gizmodo has said that such an image can be photoshopped in 10 minutes.

There have been reports that Apple has started sending the iPhone 5 for industry testing prior to the rumored launch in September or October.

MacRumors said in a report that spy captures of fancied devices like the iPhone routinely get bandied out in the run-up to the actual product launch. "The images are usually blurry, impossible to verify and frequently fake," it says.

However, there were enamored iPhone fans who lapped up the opportunity to voice their approval. One commenter said: "I just had a few orgasms looking at that, exactly the design I want."

Another said this was the "closest to what my actual expectations are. So, ok, I'll say 'good job.'"

"If you are hundred percent sure and this is the new iphone 5, then I think this will be a great news for the apple users. The model looks really good. Easy to hold and slim as well. The decision of getting back to the round edges is definitely appreciable," another user wrote.

Generally tech circles are expecting that the latest iPhone will be thinner than the existing model. They point out that historically, all new iPhones have been thinner than their predecessors.

The view that the iPhone 5 will feature drastic design changes from the existing model is dominant. Tech site BGR had reported earlier that the new iPhone will be thinner, and sport a teardrop-shaped case that tapers from top to bottom.

Smartphone Iphone Twitter Twitter