The much-rumored iPhablet may not hit the market this year, as a new report claims that it will face delays until 2015.
Apple's next-generation smartphone, the iPhone 6, is one of the most highly-anticipated devices of this year and for good reason. The company is expected to finally make the jump toward a bigger screen with its 2014 iteration and launch not one, but two large-screen iPhone 6 models.
Based on reports so far, Apple will launch one iPhone 6 model with a 4.7- or 4.8-inch display, as well as a larger variant that would compete on the phablet market with a massive 5.5-inch screen. If those reports turn out to be accurate, at least one of these new iPhone 6 models should hit the market this year.
Recent rumors also indicated that the larger-screen model of the iPhone 6 would launch sometime after the 4.7- or 4.8-inch model, and a new report out of Taiwan now claims it will not make it to market this year.
According to the Commercial Times (via GforGames), the larger variant of the upcoming iPhone 6 is facing some production delays over its battery. More specifically, Apple wants to launch the larger iPhone 6 with a thin body, which reportedly poses a challenge to battery makers. Such a large display, combined with powerful functionality, will take a toll on battery life and a large battery is essential for the bigger model. While smartphone batteries typically range between 2.8mm and 2.8mm in thickness, the battery unit for the large-screen iPhone would reportedly need to be 2mm or even thinner in order to comply with Apple's requirements.
With such challenges ahead, the iPhone 6 with a 5.5-inch display may not make its debut until 2015, or at least not until battery makers can meet Apple's strict demands. The other iPhone 6 model, meanwhile, is expected to make its debut on time. If Apple follows its usual launch schedule, this model should roll out in September.
To make a clearer distinction between the two upcoming iPhone 6 variant, Apple suppliers have reportedly dubbed the 5.5-inch variant the "iPhone Air," according to the Commercial Times. The report points, out, however, that this is just a nickname, which means that the smartphone will not necessarily launch with this name.
With no solid evidence or an official announcement from Apple, however, it's all in the rumor state for now. At the same time, considering the growing demand for larger-screen smartphones, Apple will most likely increase the display size of its next-generation iPhone in at least one model that will debut later this year.
