iPhone 6 Release Date, Specs & Price: Production Starts This Month [Reports]
In order to meet the anticipated September release of the iPhone 6, Taiwan's Economic Daily News, as cited by Reuters, reported that the production for the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will start next week while the larger, first generation Apple phablet, will be heading to the production line by the second week of August.
Additionally, another news outlet claimed that Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, is reportedly vamping its workforce and is in the process of adding another 100,000 workers to meet the estimated surge of demand. This is parallel to the 10,000-strong workforce partner supplier, Pegatron, is also rumored to add to its existing labor team.
According to an earlier report of BGR, the ultra-thin iPhone 6 is pegged to sell about 70 million new units within the year.
The estimated launch date of the highly-anticipated devices is on September 19 or 25, similar to Apple's releases in the past, but it's still unclear if the devices will both be available or a staggered release will be happening.
CNET recalled earlier reports that a limited number of 5.5-inch phablet may be released "after October" because of production issues due to the devices' thinness.
Given the upgrades and enhancements on the rumored new smartphone and Apple's reputation for using only the finest metal casings and top of the line components, it's believed that the iPhone's SRP will approximately have a $100 price jump while the 5.5-inch may be even more, noted GottaBeMobile.com.
Some of the specs and features expected to be in the new Apple iPhone include an enhanced 13-MP capacity Sony camera, indestructible sapphire glass, Touch ID sensor, a slimmer frame, improved A8 chip set, iOS 8 mobile operating system, and a rumored larger-capacity flash storage at 128 GB.
Apple has already released details a few weeks back on its new operating system, the iOS 8, which will be the pre-installed system on new devices. The iOS 8 features a number of updates from the existing iOS 7 that includes a clearer user interface, improved apps, bundled technology and iCloud and device integration. However, one of the concerns put forth by ExpertReviews.com is the userability of the iPhone given the larger screen.
"One of the things that Apple has been pushing recently, is that with its phones you can reach all of the corners with your thumb, making the iPhone easier to use than big-screen Android phones. With both 4.7in and 5.5in phones now rumoured, there's a danger that this usability will be gone," questioned the site.
It all remains to be seen as Apple has not given any indication on what the iPhone 6 may bring. For now, see the video below of an independent comparison between the rumored iPhone 6 and the existing iPhone 5S model.