It is almost certain that the release date of Apple's much-awaited new flagship smartphone, dubbed iPhone 6, will fall in the third quarter of this year, despite the company's silence. Now, reports of the shipment in August have given a strong hint that the device could be launched as early as 12 September.
Several conflicting reports have surfaced on the release date of iPhone 6 over the last few weeks, with German website ApfelPage claiming that the device might be unveiled on 19 September, after citing leaked internal documents of German wireless carrier Deutsche Telekom.
A report by Nikkei and a research note by UBS Managing Director Steve Milunovich (via Barron's) also claimed that the next generation smartphone might see the light of the day either in August or September.
However, Macrumors reported, citing a source, that Apple is likely to announce iPhone 6 in the first or second week of September, before releasing it a few days later as mass shipment of the device from China to US is expected to happen in the second half of August.
Going by Apple's tradition of releasing its iPhone devices on Friday, the much-anticipated smartphone is expected to be launched on 12, 19 or 26 September. It may be recalled that iPhone 5 was released nine days after it was unveiled, while it took 10 days for iPhone 5S and 5C.
It is still not confirmed if the Cupertino giant will release its 4.7-inch model along with its bigger sibling that measures 5.5-inch. There were reports that release of the larger model might be delayed due to production issues but one cannot rule out the possibilities of a simultaneous release as matters related to its production are said to have been solved.
Both models of iPhone 6 are expected to have a scratch-free sapphire crystal glass screen. It is reported that the devices will be powered by a 20-nanometer A8 chip (64-bit), run on the recently released iOS 8, and come with an 8MP camera with several upgrades, including flash and Optical Image Stabilisation.
The smaller model of iPhone 6 may come with a 1920x1080p (440ppi) resolution, while the larger device may feature a 2272×1280 (510ppi) resolution, according to KDB Daewoo Securities.
Chinese analyst Sun Chang Xu wrote on her social media page that the device will feature sensors that can detect pressure, temperature and humidity. Apple Insider also reported, citing analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that Apple's new smartphone may feature low temperature polysilicon in-cell touch panels, Touch ID fingerprint security, NFC and metal casing.
