New report claims Apple could launch 4.7-inch iPhone 6 as early as August

Those excited for Apple’s next smartphone may not have to wait as long as originally thought to get their hands on one. Reuters passes along a new report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News this morning which claims that the iPhone 6 could be just three months away.
Citing anonymous sources in Apple’s supply chain, the Daily News says that the 4.7-inch model of the new iPhone will reach stores as soon as August. The 5.5-inch model, the report says, will land a month later in September—same as the iPhone 5s and the 5 before it…
Here’s more from Reuters:

Apple Inc will unveil the next incarnation of its popular iPhone series in August, one month earlier than industry watchers were generally expecting, Taiwanese media reported on Friday citing unidentified supply-chain sources.
A 4.7-inch screen version of the iPhone 6 will reach stores in August, the Economic Daily News reported without specifying which markets would receive the phone first. A 5.5-inch or 5.6-inch model will be released in September, the newspaper said, as the iPhone 5 series was previously.

The news contradicts previous reports, which have pointed to a September launch for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. Additionally, previous chatter has suggested that the 5.5-inch version would be delayed ‘several months,’ clashing with this call for just a one-month holdup.
An August debut would also go against Apple’s 3-year-long tradition of launching its handset in September, but it’s possible the company is looking to break the mold. There are several reasons why an earlier showing makes sense, including back-to-school season.

iPhone 6 concept by Martin Hajek

Regardless of when it shows up, the new iPhone is shaping up to be the biggest update since the handset was first introduced. If what we’ve seen up until now holds true, it’ll feature an iPad-like design, with a much thinner profile, and a number of internal improvements.

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