Apple was said to be preparing its iPhone 6 launch for September, however if recent rumors are to be believed, the launch maybe ahead of schedule. An anonymous source told Taiwanese media - at least for one of the two sizes it will come in.
The 4.7" version of the iPhone 6, according to rumors, will be the one launching in August. The 5.5" version will still make its appearance in September as scheduled. The markets that will receive the 4.7" iPhone first are still unknown, but it should be a safe bet Apple's home country (U.S.) will be among them.
There were apparently previous rumors flying around from the supply chain that Apple indeed was making a smaller version of the iPhone 6, thus fragmenting the launch in two. So this rumor makes sense and seems credible enough. However, Apple rumors are a dime a dozen, especially before a major launch, so you should always take anything you hear with a grain of salt.
Apple is also said to be producing 80 million iPhone 6 units overall during this year. This means we should expect a big launch. Whether it will be two launches occurring at different times during the year, like rumored, or one in September, Apple expects to sell a lot of iPhones.
A smaller-screened iPhone may help Apple compete with different markets that have a large demand for small and easy to carry phones. Samsung has a large collection of phones in the 4"-5" range, for instance.
If Apple indeed does launch the 4.7" version of the iPhone 6, it would deviate from recent launches in the past. Apple has launched its last three iPhones in either September or October. Apple is also said to be negotiating with carriers to raise its price. There are certainly a lot of uncertainties still present regarding the iPhone 6. However, we should at least expect it sometime this year.
