Apple iPhone 6 Release Date Nears: 4.7-Inch Version Reportedly To Enter Production Next Week, 5.5-Inch Model In August

Foxconn Technology Co Ltd (TPE:2354), a major supplier for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), will begin production of the 4.7-inch version of the rumored iPhone 6 this month, while the larger 5.5-inch model of the new phone will enter mass production in August, a new report said Friday, following earlier rumors that Apple may limit itself to releasing only one model of its next-generation iPhone this year.

According to a report from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, production of the 4.7-inch model of the iPhone 6 will begin during the third week of this month, while the 5.5-inch version of the new smartphone is scheduled to enter production in the second week of August.

On Thursday, a Chinese news service reported that Foxconn is planning to hire 100,000 workers at its mainland facilities to handle future demand for the new Apple handset, Reuters reported, adding that Pegatron Corporation (TPE:4938) is also recruiting more than 10,000 workers to manufacture the iPhone 6.

While some reports earlier in the year had speculated that Apple would release two iPhone 6 models this year, some recent reports claimed that the 5.5-inch version could be delayed because of production issues. Other reports have suggested that Apple could launch the new phone either on Sept. 25 or Sept. 19, but it is not known for a certainty if the larger version will also be released with the 4.7-inch model.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities, said in a recent report that Apple is having trouble with the new in-cell touchscreen panel as well as with uneven colors on the phone's metal casing, which could affect the company’s plans to release the latest iPhone this year. Kuo predicted that only the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 will be launched this year, while the bigger 5.5-inch model could be pushed back to 2015.