Contrary to previous report which hinted that the rumored 5.5-inch iPhone might see some delays, Bloomberg is now reporting that Apple's two new iPhone models this fall -- a 4.7 inch model and a 5.5 inch model -- will launch at the same time. What's more, production is expected to begin sometime next month.
The new iPhones will also be rounder and thinner than previous models, said one of the people. Production of the 5.5-inch model is more complicated than the smaller version, resulting in lower production efficiency that must be overcome before manufacturing volume can be increased, said the person.
Apple is developing new iPhone designs including bigger screens with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure, Bloomberg News reported in November. Called 2.5-dimension glass, the material lets manufacturers taper the edges of the screen where the bezel meets the frame of a smartphone.
Of course, the rumor mill isn't always 100% dead-on so these rumors, should, as always, be taken with a grain of salt. Still, it's a safe bet that Apple this year will finally roll out iPhone models that can compete with larger screened Android devices. To that end, it'll be interesting to see how the market reacts given that larger displays have long been a key differentiating factor for Android handsets. With that advantage set to be diminished, perhaps Apple's iPhone will see a noticeable uptick in marketshare.
On a related note, Reuters earlier this week relayed a report from the Taiwan-based Economic Daily News which claims that Foxconn will be hiring a record 100,000 employees to help with iPhone 6 production.
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.
Fellow Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron Corp will expand its workforce in one mainland factory by 30 percent, also in response to expected high demand for the new iPhone, Economic Daily News said on Monday.
Without question, the iPhone 6 is positioned to be the largest iPhone upgrade cycle we've seen yet.
