5.5-inch iPhone 6, The Next-Gen iPad Mini and iPad Air To Hit Mass Production In September

According to a new report from Chinese media outlet UDN (via GforGames), Apple’s rumored 5.5-inch iPhone, next generation iPad mini and iPad Air will enter mass production this September with a launch expected sometime in October. The 4.7-inch iPhone is now in mass production following initially production issue and should be available for a September launch, according to the report.

DigiTimes, a Taiwan-based news outlet, recently reported that Apple is withholding the launch of the 5.5-inch iPhone to avoid competition with their 4.7-inch version as was the case with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c:

[su_quote]

Apple’s new 5.5-inch iPhone will come several months later than the new 4.7-inch model to avoid competition between the two models, rather than due to poor yield rates at 5.5-inch production lines as being reported, according to sources in the iPhone supply chain.

The different timetables have been set as Apple does not want to repeat the mistake it made in 2013 when it launched the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c simultaneously, said the sources.[/su_quote]

The Digitimes’ report also acknowledges that there isn’t an issue with mass producing the larger iPhone as was previously rumored. Hence, it’s just a case of deciding the proper time to launch the larger iPhone. A launch alongside the iPads would suggest Apple sees this new device in the tablet class and not as a smartphone.

It will be interesting to see how Apple goes about marketing this device – iPhablet?