Photos of supposed body shells of the low-cost iPhone 5C surfaced late last week, fuelling speculations that release date of the budget iOS handset, also known as iPhone Lite, is coming very soon.

Immediately following the leak are solid indicators that suggest Apple is hard at work to deliver the cheaper iPhone 5S sibling in time, which according to analysts will take place in early September.

In the list below, three fresh developments have been identified that should pave the way for the 5C debut, which could be geared for initial availability in emerging markets with China serving as the focus market.

Apple CEO Tim Cook visits China

Tim Cook, Apple's top honcho, is reportedly in China, according to MacRumors, and will be staying there for a few days to conduct a crucial mission. Obviously, the nature of Mr Cook's agenda is top-secret but the safe guess would be to shore up the tech giant's prospects in the world's biggest smartphone market.

Citing Tech Ifeng, a Chinese news site, as its source, MacRumors reported that Mr Cook will be meeting the top executives of China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, which are the dominant carriers in the country with hundreds of millions of active subscribers. It could be that the Apple big boss is pitching the release of new iPhone models, specifically the iPhone 5C, through these carriers, which potentially could give the company solid revenue generators.

To sweeten the deal, Mr Cook could perhaps offer initial 5C availability in the sprawling nation, giving Chinese buyers the opportunity to own the iOS 7 mobile device before users from the rest of the world can.

Foxconn and Pegatron are hiring in big numbers

Focus Taiwan reported this week that Foxconn, one of Apple's major manufacturing partners is adding some 90,000 heads to its mainland China workforce purportedly to provide sufficient muscles for the ramp up assembly of both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5S.

Prior to that, Apple Insider reported that Pegatron took in additional 40,000 workers to meet production deadlines. The contractor, according to earlier reports, has successfully secured the bulk of iPhone 5C manufacturing contracts.

iPhone 5C cases are now on Amazon

NowhereElse.fr has reportedly spotted iPhone 5C covers in three colours - black, white and navy - this week, further heightening talks of the 5C's nearing release date. The handset cases, according to MacRumors, were likely a product of guesswork, meaning the manufacturer, identified in the report as Elago, does not necessarily enjoy advance access to the 5C's specs, specifically its body dimension.

The accessories, however, seem a perfect fit to the rumoured form-factor of the iPhone 5C, which reports said will be showcased in a polycarbonate housing with rounded corners on release date, reminiscent of the builds seen before the market entry of the iPhone 4 in 2010.