Apple’s suppliers will begin mass producing the next-generation iPhone 6, available in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes with an estimated shipping date set for September, according to a news report.
The report from Bloomberg specifically claims that the manufacturing process will begin in China next month, with both smartphones likely to be announced and made available in September.
It has long been speculated that Apple is working on two larger iPhone models, although some rumors suggested that the 5.5-inch model might be delayed because of difficulties in the manufacturing process.
This report provides further evidence that the 5.5-inch model could in fact be unveiled alongside the 4.7-inch model in the fall.
Bloomberg adds that Apple would be taking competitors like Samsung and HTC head on with a 5.5-inch iPhone. The handset makers already have smartphones that are within that size range, and consumers in China have been highly receptive towards devices with larger screens. In fact, every 4 in 10 devices running Android sold in China in 2014 had at least a 5-inch screen.
Also reiterated is the presence of a curved glass screen, which allows manufacturers to “taper the edges of the screen where the bezel meets the frame of a smartphone.” This is a direction that’s been talked about since Apple went with bezel gestures in iOS 7.