Apple iPhone 6 Rumours Begin, Expected To Launch In Fall 2014

Apple’s new smartphones are among the awaited devices in the market, and despite the US company’s notorious secrecy, the internet is awash with rumours about its next generation smartphone, the iPhone 6.

Most reports suggest that the new phone will come in two sizes, with a 4.7 inch model expected to be launched first, probably in September 2014, followed by a 5.5 inch model later in the year or sometime in 2015. The move is expected to help Apple compete with the growing range of Android smartphones that boast large screen sizes.

In line with the bigger display, the screen resolution is also expected to increase. According to website AppleInsider, the 5.5-inch model will have a higher-resolution screen at 1,920-by-1,080 pixels, while the 4.7-inch model will have a 1,334-by-750 pixel display. However, other reports indicate that Apple may opt to increase the resolution to 1704-by-960 pixels.

The iPhone 6 is also expected to be much thinner than its predecessor, the iPhone 5s, measuring between 6mm and 7mm. Speculation is also ripe that the new device will have an updated iOS (dubbed iOS 8), a faster processor and a better camera.

Here’s an iPhone 6 mockup video (story continues after video).

Although the launch of the iPhone 6 is not even official as yet, a recent survey by US-based 451 Research’s ChangeWave found heightened interest for the new device in the market. Up to 14 per cent of respondents said they are “very likely” to buy the phone, while 26 per cent said they were “somewhat likely” to purchase it.

Apple’s iPhone 5s and the cheaper iPhone 5C also received a positive reaction soon after they were launched in September last year, with the company recording combined sales of nine million during the first-weekend.

However, the company is struggling to gain marketshare thanks to growing competition in the industry.

Apple shipped 43.7 million iPhones globally during the first quarter of this year, accounting for a 15 per cent marketshare — down from 17 per cent in Q1 2013, according to Strategy Analytics.

Meanwhile Samsung’s smartphone shipments reached 89 million globally in Q1, with the firm enjoying a 31 per cent marketshare, the report found.