iPhone 6 News Update: 4.7-Inch Screen Version To Launch In August, 5.5-Inch Model To Debut In September, Rumor Says
iPhone 6 News Update: Apple Inc. is planning to debut the 4.7-inch version of its next-generation iPhone in August and a 5.5 inch larger model will follow suit a month later. A report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News cited unnamed sources in Apple's supply chain saying that the awaited "iPhone 6" could be unveiled in August a month earlier than industry watchers were generally expecting.
The Taiwanese publication claims that Apple will release the 4.7-inch version of its flagship handset before a larger 5.5-inch or 5.6-inch model will be released in September. According to Value Walk, rumors of a 5.6-inch iPhone has been tossed out before most recently in February by the same newspaper, though prevailing speculation points to a 5.5-inch screen size.
Sources expect Apple's partner suppliers to produce a total of 80 million iPhone 6 models by the end of 2014. According to Apple Insider, it was reported on Thursday that Pegatron will be responsible for 15 percent of all 4.7-inch iPhone 6 orders. The remaining 85% will be produced by Foxconn Technology Co Ltd.
For 2014, Apple is widely expected to debut new top-end iPhones with larger screens but until today, most reports speculated that the smaller version of Apple's iPhone 6 would launch in September, while the larger iteration would see release months later due to issues related to display and battery yields.
Value Walk reported that Apple Inc. is widely expected to unveil two new iPhones later this year. Both devices will feature sapphire displays. Its partner GT Advanced Technologies Inc has started producing sapphire crystal, reportedly for the iPhone 6, at its Arizona facility. The new devices are also expected to feature an improved camera with optical image stabilization, A8 processor, an upgraded iOS 8 software, 1GB RAM, NFC integration, TouchID.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last month that Apple Inc. will move the sleep/wake button from top to the side of iPhone 6 to facilitate convenience on a bigger phone. Thickness of the new phones is likely to be reduced to 6.5-7mm from 7.6mm of the iPhone 5S.
According to Reuters, representatives for Taiwanese iPhone contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (2317.TW) and smartphone camera lens maker Largan Precision Co Ltd, both mentioned in the Economic Daily News report, had no comment.
Latin Post reported that it's almost guaranteed that the new iPhone will come preinstalled with iOS 8. iOS 8 could be unveiled in June at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in early June.
