Rumor: Apple's 'iPhone 6' to launch on Oct. 14 as part of 'busy month'

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited August 2014
Adding to rumors and speculation surrounding Apple's highly anticipated "iPhone 6" debut, a questionable report on Thursday claims the company will be releasing the handset on Oct. 14, one month after an unveiling in September.



According to a person with knowledge of an Apple Store meeting, MacRumors reports Apple is planning to announce the next-generation iPhone 6 at an event scheduled for Sept. 16, to be followed by an initial rollout on Oct. 14.

Both dates fall on a Tuesday, a day Apple traditionally saves for major announcements, not product releases. For example, last year's iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c debuted at a special event on Tuesday, Sept. 10, while the iPad Air was announced a month later on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

The Oct. 14 date is highly suspect given Apple's track record in launching iPhone products on Fridays, but the source claims Apple wants to push release up earlier in the week due to high consumer demand and access to a more than adequate cache of devices thanks to a huge production ramp-up.

Since the first iPhone debuted in 2007, however, every model has hit store shelves on a Friday save for the iPhone 4, which was released on Thursday, June 24, 2010. Further, the supposed month-long wait between the reported iPhone 6 announcement and sale date is questionable, as Apple usually releases iPhone models one week after a reveal. It also goes against the source's claims of plentiful handset supply.

Thursday's report adds to the growing pile of release date rumors first kicked off in May when German cellular carrier Deutsche Telekom began telling customers to prepare for a Friday, Sept. 19 launch date. The rumor was echoed by Chinese Internet company Tencent in June, but days later a separate report claimed Apple would start sales on Thursday, Sept. 25.

In addition to the iPhone 6, today's report claims Apple will have an "incredibly busy" October, possibly suggesting other product launches. The source failed to elaborate on the comment.

Apple is expected to launch two redesigned iPhone models for the 2014 product cycle -- 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions -- with many anticipating a slimmed-down profile, advanced components like an "A8" processor and possibly more onboard storage. A supposed iPhone 6 logic board leak last week suggested the inclusion of 802.11ac Wi-Fi and NFC support, though the rumor has gone unsubstantiated.

Most recently, a report on Tuesday threw cold water on much-ballyhooed speculation that the iPhone 6 will feature a sapphire display, saying production difficulties are standing in the way of a large-scale rollout.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    banyan brucebanyan bruce Posts: 62member

    Sorry folks but this is all starting to sound same old, same old. When it's here, then we'll have something to crow about I'm sure, but all this speculation is just counter productive. Oct is too far away to get that excited and we've all got lives to live. 

  • Reply 2 of 49
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    [IMG]https://static-secure.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/2/12/1392227704946/baby-crying-014.jpg[/IMG]
  • Reply 3 of 49
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member

    Although it will be nice to see, and I am looking forward to it, it does look like the "best pipeline in 25 years" and new product categories "across 2014" was either categorically false, or they are having difficulty in production. 

  • Reply 4 of 49
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,356member
    This reads like a numerology prediction. Perhaps it's time to consult with an industry soothsayer or psychic. Better yet, let's get an ouija board and a Magic Mouse ......
  • Reply 5 of 49
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    So Apple is going to announce the phone in September but it won't be available until a month later? I call BS on that. Why would Apple hold an event in Septemner if the phone won't be available until the middle of October? Unless they're expecting launch weekend to be so huge they need a month for pre-orders and to get retail properly stocked?
  • Reply 6 of 49
    kennmsrkennmsr Posts: 100member
    rogifan wrote: »
    So Apple is going to announce the phone in September but it won't be available until a month later? I call BS on that. Why would Apple hold an event in Septemner if the phone won't be available until the middle of October? Unless they're expecting launch weekend to be so huge they need a month for pre-orders and to get retail properly stocked?

    Double down on the BS suggestion, why on earth would AAPL jeopardize their 4th fiscal quarter results by moving the release date into 1Q '15. Just this rumor has caused the stock to recoil over $2 since it's 52 week high earlier this week. I know they have increased their stock by back plans and maybe this rumor was created to allow them to repurchase at a more favorable rate before the stock flys through the $100 record set back in Sept 2012. It all boils down to shareholder perception.
  • Reply 7 of 49
    shogunshogun Posts: 362member
    Busy October: iPhone, Yeosemite, iPayments, ???

    In wondering if the iWatch/iPod/fitBand might be assembled in the USA. They really kept the lid onMac Pro rumors. Maybe the start of a new (and robotic) emphasis on US production. Also recall the US plant(s) making sapphire.
  • Reply 8 of 49
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    kennmsr wrote: »
    Double down on the BS suggestion, why on earth would AAPL jeopardize their 4th fiscal quarter results by moving the release date into 1Q '15. Just this rumor has caused the stock to recoil over $2 since it's 52 week high earlier this week. I know they have increased their stock by back plans and maybe this rumor was created to allow them to repurchase at a more favorable rate before the stock flys through the $100 record set back in Sept 2012. It all boils down to shareholder perception.
    9to5Mac's sources claim the tentative launch date is September. I agree with what Ben Lovejoy wrote on their site:
    The story seems exceedingly unlikely for two reasons (besides the questionable nature of the source having access to launch details). First, Apple traditionally launches new iPhones on a Friday, with first weekend sales an important early guide to the popularity of a new model. A Tuesday launch would not provide comparable data. Second, Apple usually announces new iPhones around ten days before they go on sale, yet the same source is claiming that that Apple will announce the phone in mid-September, a full month before it goes on sale.
  • Reply 9 of 49
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Shogun View Post



    Busy October: iPhone, Yeosemite, iPayments, ???



    In wondering if the iWatch/iPod/fitBand might be assembled in the USA. They really kept the lid onMac Pro rumors. Maybe the start of a new (and robotic) emphasis on US production. Also recall the US plant(s) making sapphire.

     

    Interesting.  It could be possible, certainly would be easier to keep a lid on leaks in the USA vs China.

  • Reply 10 of 49
    newcodenewcode Posts: 24member
    Because I'm a nerd, here's the number of days from Apple announcing each iPhone to its release date (in the US, at least):

    171 - iPhone
    32 - iPhone 3G
    12 - iPhone 3GS
    17 - iPhone 4
    10 - iPhone 4S
    9 - iPhone 5
    11 - iPhone 5S

    Obviously that doesn't prove anything, it could easily change any time, but I still doubt they'd jump back up to about 30 days between announcement and launch.
  • Reply 11 of 49
    delreyjonesdelreyjones Posts: 335member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by newcode View Post



    Because I'm a nerd, here's the number of days from Apple announcing each iPhone to its release date (in the US, at least):



    171 - iPhone

    32 - iPhone 3G

    12 - iPhone 3GS

    17 - iPhone 4

    10 - iPhone 4S

    9 - iPhone 5

    11 - iPhone 5S



    Obviously that doesn't prove anything, it could easily change any time, but I still doubt they'd jump back up to about 30 days between announcement and launch.

    Good work!  I'm glad we've got 'nerds' like you around ;)

  • Reply 12 of 49
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    sog35 wrote: »
    Total and UTTER BS.

    Apple releases phones one week after event.

    Oct release is probably for iWatch
    MacRumors headline doesn't match the body of the story.
    [The source notes that a senior Store Leader mentioned October 14th as being an "immense" day for Apple, adding that the whole month of October would be very busy for stores and the company itself./QUOTE]

    October 14 being an "immense" day could be anything. Maybe that's the day Apple's wearable launches. And maybe it isn't just one watch/fitness band. Maybe it's a range of products. And that certainly would be immense for Apple retail considering a wearable is probably something you'd want to try on in person, vs ordering online.
  • Reply 13 of 49
    darendinodarendino Posts: 126member

    How naff!, Apple now release nothing all year until 12 weeks before the end of the year. Is this how it will be from now on, FA all year until the final three months., all we've had is a futile spec bump for Macbook and entry iMac, hardly worth creaming my shorts about.

  • Reply 14 of 49
    roxtar40roxtar40 Posts: 19member
    I miss the old days (pre-smartphone) where one needed or wanted a new piece of tech, and you simply went to your cell store or tech store and purchased something to suit you. None of this anticipation of release dates and announcements of release dates. There was no stress or anxiety about it in the "old days". Just get it when you need it or upgrade when you want it. People stress about every single Apple announcement like they'll never live if they wait a couple months until the rush is over and supplies aren't an issue and OS issues have been resolved and they get past the next hardware glitch (antennae-gate).

    I'm a fanboy bigtime and am looking forward to the 6 but wait until after Christmas passes and things calm down then casually stroll into my store for my upgrade. I'm not an impatient teenager anymore competing with "the Jones'" for having the next best thing.

    It sure is amusing to watch though.
  • Reply 15 of 49
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    How about this: Apple will announce and release its new products whenever the products are ready.
  • Reply 16 of 49
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    rogifan wrote: »
    So Apple is going to announce the phone in September but it won't be available until a month later? I call BS on that. Why would Apple hold an event in Septemner if the phone won't be available until the middle of October? Unless they're expecting launch weekend to be so huge they need a month for pre-orders and to get retail properly stocked?

    None of this makes sense until you think, okay, maybe both the 4.7" and 5.5" get announced together in Sept, but only the 4.7" becomes available a week later, with the 5.5" to begin shipping in October. If Apple feels that the 4.7" will be the mainstream model with the much higher demand (a safe bet), then production capacity will be focused on that model initially. And you don't wait to announce the larger model until you're within a week of shipping it, because then a lot of people who might have bought it would settle for the 4.7" (thinking that's the only new model being announced this year). If a few weeks later you announce a 5.5" model, you've pissed off a lot of customers. So both models, if there are indeed two separate new models, will be introduced at the same time, but it makes sense that both will not be available at the same time. Thus the second date mentioned in this article. And a Tuesday release for the second model makes sense as there will already be huge weekend traffic flooding Apple stores beginning with the availability of the first new model and continuing every weekend through the end of the year. Make sense?
  • Reply 17 of 49
    alcstarheelalcstarheel Posts: 554member
    Let's start staggering these releases next year Apple. I can only hold on to money for so long :(
  • Reply 18 of 49
    smakdown61smakdown61 Posts: 5member
    My guess would be the 4.7" ships in September a week after the announcement while the 5.5" ships in October.
  • Reply 19 of 49
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    radarthekat wrote: »
    None of this makes sense until you think, okay, maybe both the 4.7" and 5.5" get announced together in Sept, but only the 4.7" becomes available a week later, with the 5.5" to begin shipping in October. If Apple feels that the 4.7" will be the mainstream model with the much higher demand (a safe bet), then production capacity will be focused on that model initially. And you don't wait to announce the larger model until you're within a week of shipping it, because then a lot of people who might have bought it would settle for the 4.7" (thinking that's the only new model being announced this year). If a few weeks later you announce a 5.5" model, you've pissed off a lot of customers. So both models, if there are indeed two separate new models, will be introduced at the same time, but it makes sense that both will not be available at the same time. Thus the second date mentioned in this article. And a Tuesday release for the second model makes sense as there will already be huge weekend traffic flooding Apple stores beginning with the availability of the first new model and continuing every weekend through the end of the year. Make sense?

    Makes perfect sense. Of course, the rumor would have to be true ;). Good explanation. IF there is a 5.5"- hopefully there is- I agree that they'll announce them together. Still waiting on leaks though...
  • Reply 20 of 49
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    They will announce mid September and launch a week later, probably on the 19th or 23rd. That would get them a week or so of sales push for the quarter, but continue a strong sales push through the end of the year.
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