The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 has reportedly entered production, while the 5.5-inch model, along with the next iPad Mini and iPad Air, will follow suit in September.
Rumors surrounding the iPhone 6 are emerging at a rapid pace, with new leaks popping up on a daily basis. The latest report now claims to have some details on Apple's future plans regarding the iPhone 6, as well as the next-generation iPad Air and iPad Mini.
According to new information out of China, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3 will enter mass production later than initially thought. This could mean a delayed launch for these products.
The report (via GforGames) claims that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has not entered mass production so far, further bolstering previous claims that this model will launch sometime after the 4.7-inch variant. In remains unclear at this point whether this alleged situation was deliberate or forced by circumstances. While some reports indicated that production issues would delay the launch of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, others claimed that Apple actually wanted to launch this variant later in order to avoid competition between the two iPhone 6 models.
Either way, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 has reportedly entered mass production, again bolstering previous rumors. This model is expected to make its official debut in September. The latest report also suggests that Apple's supply chain is currently facing some production yield issues, albeit it says the situation is expected to improve in August.
Apple's supply chain partners have reportedly added various upgrades to their production facilities, such as Foxbots, and as a result the production capacity should increase by up to 80-85 percent in the fourth quarter of this year compared to the third quarter.
While the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is reportedly on track with mass production, the 5.5-inch version, as well as the next-generation iPad Mini and iPad Air, will reportedly not enter mass production until September.
This means that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 may be the first Apple device to launch this year, and it may be a while before the company releases other products. On the other hand, it's all in the rumor state for now, so take everything with a grain of salt until an official announcement.
