Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 6' to launch on Sept. 25, larger 5.5" version dubbed 'iPhone Air'

Posted:
in iPhone edited July 2014
Another questionable rumor out of China on Thursday claims Apple will announce its next-gen iPhone on Sept. 15 ahead of a Sept. 25 launch date, while mention is made of a 16GB 5.5-inch version that will supposedly be called "iPhone Air."

"iPhone 6" and "iPhone 6c" concepts by Martin Hajek.


According to Chinese language website China.com, industry sources are telling various media outlets in the region that Apple is planning to start sales of its next iPhone on Sept. 25, with China expected to be in the first group of countries to get the device.

The report, spotted by GforGames is highly suspect, as Apple historically starts sales of new iPhone models on Fridays, and Sept. 25 is a Thursday. Last year, Apple performed a simultaneous launch with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on Friday, Sept. 20.

Perhaps more believable, though by no means verifiable, is a rumor from May saying that Apple plans to launch the device or devices on Sept. 19, a date echoed in a follow-up report last week.

Insiders also said a 5.5-inch "phablet" version of the next-gen "iPhone 6" will be called "iPhone Air," though such a move would likely confuse the "Air" naming convention. As it stands, the MacBook Air represents the Apple's smallest and lightest laptops, while the "Air" moniker is assigned to the company's largest iPad.

As for pricing, Thursday's report is exactly in line with prior claims that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will cost 5,288 yuan (about $850) when it hits store shelves. While last week's rumor failed to mention a 16GB variant of an anticipated 5.5-inch iPhone, today's report cites insiders as saying the device does exist and expects it to run 5,998 yuan (about $965).

Finally, sources claim Apple's partner carriers in the region, China Mobile and China Unicom, are already testing prototype iPhone 6 units on their respective 4G networks.

When the next-gen iPhone lineup does launch sometime this fall, many expect the handset to feature a complete redesign relocated sleep/wake button, slimmed-down profile and advanced innards like an "A8" processor. Some analysts believe Apple plans to differentiate the purported 5.5-inch version from its smaller siblings by adding on features like optical image stabilization and higher storage capacities.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 62
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Again, all the rumors so far are combined with a new launch day on 9/25/14 instead of 9/19/14.
  • Reply 2 of 62
    customtbcustomtb Posts: 346member
    I really hate the idea that a 5.5 would become flagship with features not include in a 4.7. Mainly because I don't want a 5.5
  • Reply 3 of 62
    applesauce007applesauce007 Posts: 1,698member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by CustomTB View Post



    I really hate the idea that a 5.5 would become flagship with features not include in a 4.7. Mainly because I don't want a 5.5

    Well, I think most people will buy the 4.7 an it will be the flagship phone.

    The 5.5 is a phablet and as such it is different.

     

    Note that the current iPhone 5s is only 4.0 inches so 4.7 is large and 5.5 is huge.

  • Reply 4 of 62
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    These rumors are getting sillier all the time. Who announces new products on a Monday? Nobody. And the 4.7" will start at 32GB but the 5.5" at 16GB? That makes no sense at all.
  • Reply 5 of 62
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    customtb wrote: »
    I really hate the idea that a 5.5 would become flagship with features not include in a 4.7. Mainly because I don't want a 5.5
    Apple would be stupid to do that. They have to know the 4.7" will be the biggest seller. I'm still not convinced these phablets are that popular (outside of China). Also the recent front panel leaks have only shown 4.7" so I'm still not convinced a 5.5" model will actually go into production.
  • Reply 6 of 62
    lorin schultzlorin schultz Posts: 2,771member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    I'm still not convinced these phablets are that popular (outside of China).

     

    They seem to be pretty popular here in Vancouver, at least among female Asian transit users. Strangely, it seems the smaller the woman, the larger the phone! All the ladies I've seen carrying them are tiny.

  • Reply 7 of 62
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,256member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Lorin Schultz View Post

     

     

    They seem to be pretty popular here in Vancouver, at least among female Asian transit users. Strangely, it seems the smaller the woman, the larger the phone! All the ladies I've seen carrying them are tiny.


    I'm thinking it's not the size of the woman --it's the size of her purse. The women I know are always losing things, including phones, in their purse. I think the 5.5" iPhone is appealing because it will be easier to find. 

     

    On a related note -- I want a phone that can fit in my jeans pocket. But women almost never have pockets, so that's not an issue for them. They carry things in their purse. It all comes back to that darned purse. I'll bet 3/4 of those 5.5" iPhones go to women... 

  • Reply 8 of 62
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    The Air suffix has always denoted the lightest in a range. So IMHO, unless the larger iPhone is the lightest it would seem a possible misnomer if used. Of course it could well be the lightest if the standard formats are simply current models continued and some new construction allows the larger one to be thinner and lighter. Apple did this with the iPad after all. Well not larger, bit certainly thinner.
  • Reply 9 of 62
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,256member

    I think it makes a lot of sense to move away from numbered naming of iPhones to having a portfolio of iPhones with consistent names. 

     

    If they want to be consistent-ish with other product lines would call the 5.5" the iPhone Pro, the 4.7" the iPhone Air, and the 4" the iPhone Mini. 

     

    They could also add a 12" iPad and have that be the iPad Pro. Then they really would have consistent naming between those two product lines. 

  • Reply 10 of 62
    seankillseankill Posts: 566member
    I agree that the 5.5 having features that the 4.7 doesn't, would be a little sad.

    Anyone find 850 to be a bit much? Currently an iPhone with ATT costs 650, I can see 750 but 850? Even I as an Apple fan have to wonder if the phone is worth that much. It would certainly hurt sales if people have to pay 400 after subsidy, big screen or not. Unless the carriers are suppose to pay a bigger portion.
  • Reply 11 of 62
    the front facing camera is a good way to use the iPhone as a mirror to check their makeup, so bigger the screen the better
  • Reply 12 of 62
    darklitedarklite Posts: 229member

    Why would the larger version be the Air? Wouldn't it make more sense to have the 4.7" iPhone Air and the 5.5" iPhone Pro, mirroring the screen size / power increase found in Apple's other 'Pro' devices?

  • Reply 13 of 62
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

     

    I'm thinking it's not the size of the woman --it's the size of her purse. The women I know are always losing things, including phones, in their purse. I think the 5.5" iPhone is appealing because it will be easier to find. 

     


     

    So are you one of those that also says blonde women are air heads? How about relating the size of a mans hands or foot size to the size of his pecker?

     

    Did you ever consider that maybe the size of their purse is a function of the phone size the carry?

     

    If this was supposed to have been a sarcastic joke then my bad otherwise shame on you. BTW: my wife has a quite small bag but is constantly misplacing her keys and iPhone (mostly in her purse) LOL.

  • Reply 14 of 62
    darklitedarklite Posts: 229member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Seankill View Post



    I agree that the 5.5 having features that the 4.7 doesn't, would be a little sad.

    I disagree - I think it'd be a shame if it didn't have superior hardware. A 5.5" screen gives them a lot more case space to play with, and it would be a real disappointment if Apple didn't take advantage of that space to include (for example) better camera components that physically wouldn't fit in a smaller device.

  • Reply 15 of 62
    darklitedarklite Posts: 229member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    These rumors are getting sillier all the time. Who announces new products on a Monday? Nobody. And the 4.7" will start at 32GB but the 5.5" at 16GB? That makes no sense at all.

    I feel like I'm missing something here - why is one day of the week better than another for making product announcements?

  • Reply 16 of 62
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

     

    I think it makes a lot of sense to move away from numbered naming of iPhones to having a portfolio of iPhones with consistent names....

     

    ...They could also add a 12" iPad and have that be the iPad Pro. Then they really would have consistent naming between those two product lines. 


     

    I agree about the numbering in the name although I don't think they need to get too carried away with it. Keep it simple but clear where it fits in the order of things (although I don't see Apple ever going down the road of even a dozen iPhone models 3 or 4 with different memory configs -- they did that with Macs and it was one of the things Steve Jobs killed when he got back).

  • Reply 17 of 62
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

     

    I'm thinking it's not the size of the woman --it's the size of her purse. The women I know are always losing things, including phones, in their purse. I think the 5.5" iPhone is appealing because it will be easier to find. 

     

    On a related note -- I want a phone that can fit in my jeans pocket. But women almost never have pockets, so that's not an issue for them. They carry things in their purse. It all comes back to that darned purse. I'll bet 3/4 of those 5.5" iPhones go to women... 




    Yes. Many phablet users I see are women, since they just chuck it in a bag.

     

    Sadly, most of them don't understand the purpose of a tablet, so they think by having some massive phone they're covered on both fronts.

  • Reply 18 of 62
    blastdoorblastdoor Posts: 3,256member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot View Post

     

     

    So are you one of those that also says blonde women are air heads? How about relating the size of a mans hands or foot size to the size of his pecker?

     

    Did you ever consider that maybe the size of their purse is a function of the phone size the carry?

     

    If this was supposed to have been a sarcastic joke then my bad otherwise shame on you. BTW: my wife has a quite small bag but is constantly misplacing her keys and iPhone (mostly in her purse) LOL.


     

    dude -- lighten up. No, I was not being sarcastic. But what I was saying is not equivalent to the other things you mention. Everything I said is a fact:

     

    1. Far more women carry purses than men. That's a fact.

    2. Men's pants are far more likely to have a front pocket. That's a fact.

    3. Women tend to have difficulty finding things in their purse. That's also a fact. And it's not because they are women. I have a hard time finding things in my backpack, which is why I often put important things like keys and phones in my pants pockets. But women can't do that -- not their fault, it's just the way women's clothing are made. 

     

    There is nothing in my post that was sexist. You imputed that using your imagination. Shame on you. 

  • Reply 19 of 62
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    I want my portable electronics to be LESS portable. This makes sense to me.
  • Reply 20 of 62
    indymacindymac Posts: 9member
    None of these rumors ever mention an updated 4" iPhone. What if you like the current size, but want the updated silicon, camera, etc.
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