The much-awaited news is finally official. Apple has sent out e-mail invitations to the media, inviting them to an "invitation-only event" in San Francisco on Sept. 12. The invite fuels debut rumors of the tech giant's flagship smartphone, the hotly-anticipated iPhone 5.

The Loop posted a picture of the invite which says "Its Almost Here." The image of the invite shows number "12" with an Apple logo on the top right. Apple teases iFans with its innovative designing and the number 12's shadow is fashioned to reflect the digit "5". The numeric "5" seems to validate the existing conjectures that the next-gen iPhone will be called iPhone 5.

The event is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. PST on Sept. 12 and will be held at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco. However, the invite does not divulge any details of the iDevices that will be launched. While the bagful of rumors surrounding the iPhone 5's parts and features are flying thick and fast, the Cupertino-based company continues to remain mum on the features of the its next smartphone.

As Apple's Sept. 12 event date has now turned into reality, iFans will expect the iPhone 5 to pack improved features and new apps in the device when compared to its predecessors.

Chances are high that Apple's next-gen iPhone 5 will come with a quad-core processor, a 4-inch display to keep up in the bigger screen-size race, and an enhanced camera. If rumors are to be believed then the purported iPhone 5 will have also feature Apple's latest operating system - the iOS 6.

Speculations also suggest that the iPhone 5 will feature Gorilla Glass 2, which will enhance that device's overall durability. A unibody design of the iPhone 5, couple with in-cell technology are likely to make the device thinner and lighter. The smartphone is also expected to sport a smaller docking port and may have redesigned earphones. Rumors also indicate that the next-gen Apple offering will support 4G LTE and could possibly be NFC enabled.

Rumors have also suggested that pre-orders will begin on Sept. 12 and the smartphone will be released nine days later on Sept. 21.

With the official Apple invites out, iFans can mark Sept. 12 on their calendar. It will finally be revealed whether the floating rumors and leaks hold true.