There are more and more signs that Apple’s latest smartphone has a definite launch date now.
Apple should be launching two iPhone 6 models this year, one with a 4.7-inch screen, and the other a 5.5-inch “phablet,” which has been dubbed iPhone “Air.”
Two sources have claimed that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will launch on September 19, 2014.
The first source, German Apple news blog Apfelpage, suggests that German mobile carrier Deutsche Telekom and Apple Stores in Germany will launch the iPhone 6 on September 19.
The second source comes from a Weibo user in China. A promotional flyer in Chinese claims that both iPhone models will be released on September 19, and that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is priced at 5,288 yuan (about $853), while the iPhone “Air” costs 6,288 yuan (about $1,014).
There could be some credibility in the rumors for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but not so for the iPhone “Air.”
Earlier in the week, the Taiwan-based Economic Daily News reported that Hon Hai Precision Industry, or better known as Foxconn, is going to mass produce the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in the third week of July.
The larger 5.5-inch iPhone “Air” “phablet” will be produced in the second week of August.
If the iPhone “Air” is going to be produced at a much later date, it is unlikely to be ready in time for a September 19 launch.
Also, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has leaked reliable information about upcoming Apple devices, has recently predicted that Apple will only release the iPhone “Air” in 2015 because of production issues with the sapphire glass display.
Kuo still expects the 4.7-inch model to debut in fall 2014.
It is likely that Apple will at least release the smaller iPhone on September 19. In the last two years, Apple launched the iPhone near the end of their fiscal year so that they can get at least the first weekend of sales for Q4.
The last day of Apple’s 2014 Q4 is September 27, so the September 19 date does seem plausible.
Here are some rumored specifications of both iPhone models:
Display and Resolution: 4.7-inch, 1334 x 750; 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080
Processor: A8
Memory: 1GB RAM
Design: Narrower bezels, power button on the right, 6.5mm to 7mm thickness
Camera: 13 megapixel rear camera
As there is no official confirmation from Apple, all information should be taken with a grain of salt.
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