Report Claims September 25 Launch for iPhone 6, 16GB 5.5-Inch ‘iPhone Air’

Apple will look to announce the iPhone 6 on Monday, September 15th ahead of a launch on Thursday, September 25, according to various Chinese media reports citing “inside sources” (Google Translate, via GForGames). The sources also claim that the larger 5.5-inch iPhone will be called the “iPhone Air”, with the 16GB version selling in China for 5,998 yuan ($965). Meanwhile, the 4.7-inch version will reportedly start at 5,288 ($850) for 32GB, which is the current price of the 16GB iPhone 5s in China.

The report contrasts a story from Chinese web portal Tencent last month claiming that Apple would launch the 4.7-inch iPhone on Friday, September 19, which would be in line with the past two iPhone launches. Apple typically launches new products on a Friday, while a Thursday launch would be unlikely.

Furthermore, Apple abandoning on the 16 GB model on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 would make it likely that the company does not include such an option on the bigger 5.5-inch version. A report from Wei Feng last month noted that Apple would offer a 128GB variant only for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, stating that the storage size difference would act as a major differentiator between both models. It is possible that Apple may call the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 the iPhone Air, as suppliers were once rumored to be using that name when referring to the device.

It is unknown whether Apple will launch both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 simultaneously. Bloomberg claimed last month that company would be doing so, as previous reports noted issues with display technology and battery life would delay the device’s launch.

Aside from a larger display, the iPhone 6 is expected to come with a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and other new features. The camera of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 is also said to feature an optical image stabilization system, while the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone will use a new lens module.

iPhone 6 Mockups of Low Quality, Antenna Breaks Not in Final Design

We’ve seen a steady stream of mockup devices that claim to represent the form factor of the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6. According to sources for Nikkei (via GforGames), these mockups provide a fairly accurate look at Apple’s upcoming iPhone hardware.

Though they may reflect the overall design of the next generation iPhone, the mockups, thus far, have been produced quickly with low quality materials. This haphazard construction misses a few key design elements, the most notable of which such as a curved glass display that Nikeei sources say will seamlessly transition into the aluminum shell that encloses the device.

This isn’t the first report that claims the iPhone will feature a curved glass display. A rumor earlier this year from Mac Otakara and one from Bloomberg last year also claimed the iPhone 6 will ship with a curved display that will lay flush with the iPhone’s round corners.

Nikkei sources also say the white stripes on the back of the some mockups will not appear in the final version of the iPhone 6. These lines are thought to mark out the location of the back panels and are not actual design elements. As a result, the backing on the iPhone 6 may closely resemble the iPhone 5/5s.

Apple is rumored to be preparing both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 for launch in September. The devices are thought to feature an A8 processor, an improved camera and a thinner design with oval buttons that are similar to the sixth generation iPod touch. The iPhone may be priced in tiers, with the larger 5.5-inch model costing $100 more than the 4.7-inch version.

Foxconn Hiring Record 100,000 New Employees for iPhone 6 Production as Pegatron Also Staffs Up

Apple’s manufacturing partners are gearing up for the launch of new iOS devices later this year, with primary partner Foxconn bringing on 100,000 new workers to help assemble the iPhone 6, reports Taiwan’s Economic Daily News [Google Translate] as picked up by Reuters.

Hon Hai Precision Industry will recruit over 100,000 people in mainland China to produce the newest iPhone from Apple Inc, Taiwan’s Economic Daily News said, in what the report called the firm’s largest single hiring spree in China.

Supposed front panel and manufacturing mold for larger iPhone 6
Pegatron is reportedly also involved in iPhone 6 production, with early reports on Pegatron’s production share ranging from 15% to 50%, but today’s report and other recent ones have put Pegatron’s share at closer to 30%. According to today’s report, Pegatron is boosting its workforce by 30% to support production of the next iPhone. The company made a similar hiring surge last year in support of its role as the primary assembler for the iPhone 5c.

The timing of these hiring surges is about right for the rumored iPhone 6 schedule, with production reportedly set to ramp up next month ahead of a launch around the usual September timeframe. Most of the iPhone 6 attention has focused on a rumored 4.7-inch model that is expected to represent the bulk of sale, but Apple is said to also be working on an even larger 5.5-inch model that may launch alongside or in the months following the debut of the 4.7-inch model.

Photos of 4.7-Inch and 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 Model

A couple of new model photos of the rumored iPhone 6 have been posted to Twitter by SonnyDickson. The new images depict the 4.7″ and 5.5″ iPhone 6 side by side — both front and back.

The images show what we have already seen about the iPhone 6, including the rounded case edges and larger form factors. Apple is expected to release the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 around September of 2014, while the 5.5-inch version may come later.

Photos of iPhone 6 dummy models have been floating around for months, making even more frequent appearances in recent weeks.

Taiwanese Star Jimmy Lin Gaining Attention for iPhone 6 Mockup Photos

Taiwanese media star and race car driver Jimmy Lin has once again surfaced showing what he seems to be passing off as a legitimate iPhone 6, although the device is more likely to be one of many physical mockups seen in recent months.

Lin has a history of such postings, having shared what he claimed was a mini iPad back in 2010 two years before the real iPad mini debuted, what was clearly an iPhone 5 mockup, and what appears to have been a knockoff iPhone 5c shell or dummy unit based on accurate design specs that were circulating ahead of the device’s release last year.

In his latest “iPhone 6″ photos, Lin shows the device next to the iPhone 5 and 5s, comparisons that have been seen in a number of different settings already. Among the suspect aspects of his unit are what appears to be a nonfunctional yellow blank in place of the rear flash, a larger than expected FaceTime camera hole, and a lack of any photos with the unit turned on.

Lin’s unit appears very similar to one we’ve seen in photos sent by a supplier to screen protector and stylus firm Halo-Direct, although this unit lacks the Apple logo seen on Lin’s.

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is expected to debut around the September timeframe, with an even larger 5.5-inch model reportedly also in the works. It is unclear, however, where that larger model will debut alongside or up to several months later than the smaller version.

Alleged iPhone 6 Rear Shell Shown From Multiple Angles in New Photos

Back in late May, a single photo of an alleged rear shell from the iPhone 6 surfaced, showing what appeared to be a thin metal part with cutouts on the rear for not only the camera, microphone, and flash, but also the iconic Apple logo.

A new photo set shared by Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] now shows a similar part from various angles, with its apparent high quality bolstering speculation that this may indeed be a genuine iPhone 6 shell.

Interior (left) and exterior (right) of alleged iPhone 6 rear shell
Side views of the shell show the now familiar cutouts expected for the iPhone 6, including the standard mute switch and elongated volume buttons along the left side. The right side features a SIM tray toward the middle and what has been reported to be a relocated power button, with Apple perhaps moving the button from the top edge to the side to make it more accessible on the larger device.

Left and right sides of alleged iPhone 6 rear shell
The report mentions that the cutout for the Apple logo points to the possibility of a lighted logo that could be used for notifications, but we believe this to be unlikely. Shell cutouts for the Apple logo are not uncommon for iOS devices, although they have not been seen on the iPhone before. But for iPad models, Apple has traditionally preferred to use a shell cutout with an embedded Apple logo rather than printing the Apple logo on the shell, in some cases such as in the original iPad placing antennas in the region to help overcome the shielding effects of the metal casing.

For the iPad mini, the Apple logo was printed on the first-generation models, but for the current generation the company has shifted to an embedded logo. As a result, we expect an embedded iPhone 6 logo to similarly be for aesthetic or perhaps antenna reasons rather than for illuminating the logo itself.

The iPhone 6 is expected to debut around the September timeframe, perhaps initially with the rumored 4.7-inch model while an even larger 5.5-inch model arrives up to several months later. Apple should also be releasing iOS 8 to the public at around the same time based on past patterns, and Apple’s iWatch is tentatively targeted for an October unveiling.

Apple Solves Battery Issues with 5.5-Inch iPhone 6, Looks to Ship 20 Million Units in 2014

Recent rumors surrounding Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 have pointed to two models for the device: a 4.7-inch version set to launch later this year and a larger 5.5-inch version for late 2014 or early 2015. While Apple previously released the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c at the same time last year, reports have indicated that issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 battery life and display technology will force the company to launch both phones at separate times later this year.

Now, a new report from Chinese site Laoyaoba (Google Translate, via GforGames) claims that Apple has solved its battery issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, as the company will partner with Chinese manufacturing company Sunwoda Electronics to manufacture 20 million batteries for the device. Apple’s main battery supplier Dynapack will also help with production, however the Taiwanese-based company has reportedly struggled to keep up with demand.

The report also notes that Apple is aiming to build 20 million 5.5-inch iPhone 6 units by the end of this year, which follows a rumor last month that stated the company’s desire to build a total of 80 million iPhone 6 units in 2014. If true, this would mean that the majority of iPhone 6 units would be of the smaller 4.7-inch version, perhaps indicating that the larger version will be hard to find until supplies improve later next year.

In addition to a larger screen, Apple’s iPhone 6 is expected to include a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera in the form of optical or electronic image stabilization. Apple has also included an option for developers to size apps for devices referred to as “Resizable iPhones” in its release of Xcode 6 earlier today, which likely further indicates that iPhones with larger displays are coming.

Apple May Adopt 1704 x 960 Resolution Display for Upcoming iPhone 6

Apple’s next generation iPhone 6 may adopt a higher resolution display, jumping from the current iPhone 5s resolution of 1136 x 640 to a sharper 1704 x 960 resolution, reports 9to5Mac. On the rumored 4.7-inch model, this would result in a display with 416 ppi and the same 16:9 ratio of the iPhone 5/5s/5c, while a 5.5-inch model at the same resolution would carry a density of 356 ppi.

With Apple’s rumored move to larger displays in the iPhone 6, much discussion has been centered around what resolution Apple will use and how any changes would affect developers. Some speculation had suggested Apple might simply maintain the same resolution as on the iPhone 5s, making a seamless transition for developers. This stretch process would, however, drop the pixel density of the display below Apple’s criteria for a “Retina” display.

Alternatively, Apple could boost the resolution to maintain or increase the pixel density, although this move would require work from app developers to maintain compatibility with the new devices. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested last month that Apple would maintain the current 326 ppi density, which could be achieved by bumping a 4.7-inch display to 1334 x 750, and we previously explored how that might work.

But according to 9to5Mac, Apple may adopt an even higher-resolution display that triples the base number of pixels of the iPhone screen in both length and width. This “3x” mode would take the base “1x” resolution of 568 x 320 and expand it to 1704 x 960. Using this method, Apple would retain the Retina branding at 416 ppi and keep the current 16:9 ratio of the iPhone 5/5s/5c.

This means that Apple will likely be tripling the aforementioned “base resolution” (568 x 320) of the iPhone screen in both directions, and that the iPhone screen resolution will be scaled with an increase of 150% from the current 2X resolution of 1136 x 640. Of course, Apple tests several different iPhones and display technologies, so it is possible that Apple chooses to take another route for display specifications for the 2014 iPhone upgrade.

Apple has allegedly been testing this 1704 x 960 resolution and while the design specs for the iPhone 6 are undoubtedly complete, it is not known for sure if Apple has elected to proceed with this resolution. Apple may be preparing to launch the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 sometime this fall with a faster A8 processor and improved camera technology.

Apple Reportedly Integrating NFC Technology into iPhone 6

Apple is gearing up to incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 6, according to a report from BrightWire citing sources familiar with the matter. The report also notes that Apple has struck a deal with China UnionPay to integrate the banking company’s services into Passbook and elsewhere.

Apple is likely to incorporate a Near Field Communication (NFC) payment function in the next generation iPhone and has reached an agreement with China UnionPay on a mobile payment service, according to a source close to the matter.

…In addition to NFC payment, the two companies will also work together on another mobile payment solution that can be used for purchases in Apple Stores, added the source.

Integrating NFC into the iPhone 6 would be a bit of a surprise move by Apple, as the company’s head of marketing Phil Schiller stated in 2012 that the technology was “not the solution to any current problem.” Notably, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last month that Apple would integrate NFC chips into the next-generation iPhone alongside a host of other features.

The news also comes as Apple is pursuing plans to develop a mobile payment solution, which will be possibly tied to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor currently found in the iPhone 5s and reportedly headed for the iPhone 6 and next-generation iPads. It is also possible that Apple combines its existing Touch ID fingerprint scanner and NFC technology into the home button, as the company filed for a patent detailing such a system last September.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 in two sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches later this year, with the smaller version of the phone launching ahead of the larger model. Aside from a larger display, the iPhone 6 will likely feature a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera in the form of image stabilization. Apple is also said to be negotating with carriers for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6.