Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s highly anticipated iPhone 6 will be launched in September, more than a dozen analysts and supply chain sources have said. A leaked internal document at German telecom carrier Deutsche Telekom revealed that the iPhone 6 will hit the stores on Friday, September 19. That makes sense because Apple has historically launched its new iPhone models on a Friday to capitalize on the huge weekend crowd.
Galaxy Note 4 coming in time to challenge the iPhone 6
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) is also expected to launch its flagship Galaxy Note 4 in September. Some rumors claim that the device will be unveiled at the IFA 2014 event in Berlin, which is scheduled for September 5-10. And other reports point to a pre-IFA September 3 launch. Whichever reports turn out to be true, the Galaxy Note 4 will hit the shelves around the same time as the iPhone 6. Apple is bringing the iPhone 6 in two larger screen sizes, 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch, to better compete against phablets.
The Galaxy Note 4 will reportedly have a UV sensor that will protect you from skin cancer, sunburn and sunstroke. If it turns out to be true, the Galaxy Note 4 will be the first ever smartphone to have this feature. The phablet will feature a 5.7-inch QHD display, Snapdragon 805 processor, 16MP ISOCEL camera, an ultrasound S-pen Stylus, and the Android Lollipop. The Galaxy Note 4 is expected to enter the mass production this month.
Coming back to the iPhone 6, a recently leaked promotion flyer in China also points to a September 19 release date for the device. The flyer also mentions pricing. It says the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 (32GB) will cost about $850 in China, slightly less than the price of the iPhone 5S, which costs $852 in China. The 5.5-inch model will be priced at $1,012 in the world’s largest smartphone market.
Apple asks suppliers to produce 80 million iPhone 6 units
Earlier today, sources familiar with the development told The Wall Street Journal that Apple has asked its suppliers to assemble up to 80 million units of the iPhone 6 by December 2014. It clearly indicates that the tech giant expects huge demand for the larger display models. Last year, the Cupertino-based company had placed the initial order of 50-60 million units of the iPhone 5S and 5C.
Apple’s biggest supplier Foxconn Technology Co Ltd (TPE:2354) has hired about 100,000 new employees in China to meet the anticipated high demand for the iPhone 6. Another supplier, Pegatron Corporation (TPE:4938), has also increased its workforce by 30% to boost production of the new models.
