iPhone 6 Sales Expected to be Huge, According to WSJ Report
Apple is expecting the upcoming larger screened iPhone 6 models to be huge sellers, judging by manufacturing orders issued to suppliers and reported by Wall Street Journal.
Specifically, WSJ reports that Apple has requested a combined total of 70 million to 80 million iPhone units from manufacturers for initial orders. The enormous number is said to include the iPhone 6 in both screen sizes, at 4.7″ and 5.5″. For some comparison, Apple’s initial orders for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C were 50 million to 60 million.
The report also mentions that Apple is having some production issues with the larger 5.5″ display “because the displays are using in-cell technology, which allows the screens to be thinner and lighter by integrating touch sensors into the liquid crystal display and making it unnecessary to have a separate touch-screen layer.” As a result, Apple is ordering more displays than are needed for shipment to account for higher failure rates in production. WSJ also suggests that Apple is undecided on the final material to be used for the 5.5″ display, mentioning that using a more durable “sapphire crystal” cover could also complicate manufacturing.
The precise launch date and release date of the iPhone 6 is not yet known, but Apple has been on a September release schedule with the iPhone for two years now. The Wall Street Journal also makes note of the mid-September precedent, perhaps suggesting some specificity to the rumored “fall” timeline that was reported earlier in the year by Reuters.
Per usual with rumors, Apple has said nothing of the upcoming new iPhone, but has publicly acknowledged that iOS 8 will be released to the public in the fall. Autumn of 2014 officially begins in the Northern hemisphere on September 22, offering a rough idea of when an actual launch may occur.
(Above images are mockups of iPhone 6 based upon current rumors)
Larger screens will mean more broken screens, higher battery consumption, and oh! more space for ads.
Most people are not 6′ 6″ with a hand the size of a baseball mitt, they want a phone they can comfortably handle and that can fit in their pocket or purse or what-have-you. I’d much rather have a smaller phone with say Miracast and DLNA capabilities or better yet, an integrated LD projector if I want to see things larger or share them with people.
Can’t wait for the 5.5″ iPhone. Also looking forward to all the 3.5″ screen size apologists explaining why Apple took 3 years to release a decent sized screen that is actually readable without a magnifying glass, and how the 5.5″ iPhone now makes sense because Apple did it ‘right’ or some other BS explanation as to why they lagged greatly behind Android in an obvious march towards usable display sizes.
Honestly, I love Apple and their products, but I think we can all agree that some of the apologist bloggers and general consumers are just pathetic.
Whole heartedly agree. Having said that I think the 5S is about the right size. I want a bigger screen but not a bigger device. Apple having the home button and investing in touch ID means that is no longer a possibility.
The Fanboys though are absolutely incorrigible. God sometimes they are so annoying!
If you need an iPad get one… Youn know there’s even a mini… The iPhone is not supposed to be your desktop. ;-)
A phone is as phone not a pseudo-tablet you hold to your ear.
Your thumb has to reach from one side to side to work singled handled with the phone while walking, standing or pulling of your carry, so it can only have a max. width.
Yes, I know Koreans (Samsung) don’t seem to think so, that it’s becasuse they believe that we (people outside of South Korea) have an innate ability to grow our thumbs at will.