Apple will unveil new iPhone in September: report
A report Tuesday from the technology news site Re/code says Apple has scheduled a media event for September 9 where it will introduce its new iPhones, which will come in a 4.7-inch version and a 5.5-inch version.
Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi speaks in front of a screen for the Yosemite operating system at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Monday, June 2, 2014.
Jeff Chiu/AP
The tech world has been collectively holding its breath as it waits in anticipation for Apple to reveal the iPhone 6.
That wait may be nearing an end.
Technology news site Re/code reported Tuesday that Apple has scheduled a media event for Sept. 9 in which it will reveal the latest iteration of the Apple smart phone. And unlike previous versions, this iPhone is expected to come in two sizes, a 4.7-inch version and a 5.5-inch version.
A possible September debut of the iPhone 6 was previously reported last month by 9to5Mac, which noted that Apple was "tentatively" planning a keynote address for mid-September, citing "sources briefed on the plans."
It has been expected for some time now that the new iPhone would be released later this year. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has asked suppliers to make between 70 and 80 million of the new phones.
This will also mark the first time that Apple's phones have expanded beyond the 4-inch screen size, even as other smart phone makers have rolled out phones with larger screens, sometimes called "phablets," because of their resemblance to tablet devices.
According to a video last month from technology YouTube channel MKBHD, the new iPhone's display will allegedly sport a sheet of sapphire crystal as opposed to the more traditional Gorilla Glass, made by Corning. In that video, the sapphire crystal display is shown to be extremely durable and flexible in addition to revealing hardly any color distortion when looking through the glass.
But last month Apple Insider reported that the 5.5-inch version was facing production issues and would not become available until 2015, leaving the 4.7-inch model to be released on its own this year.
Apple sold 35.2 million iPhones in the third fiscal quarter of 2014. That's up from 31.2 million in the third quarter of 2013. Still, it was below the expectation of financial analysts, according to 9to5Mac.
In June, at its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled iOS 8, the latest iPhone operating system, which includes such new features as the HealthKit app that lets users aggregate their health data and a feature to let users more easily sync their iPhone functions with those of their Apple tablet and desktop.