Related Articles
Sarah Tew/CNET
When will Apple release the iPhone 6? September has been the expected launch month based on the company’s past behavior, but a new rumor suggests that consumers may need to wait until October.
The next-generation iPhone is now pegged to hit the market on October 14, at least according to an unnamed source who spoke with the folks at MacRumors. Citing an internal Apple retail store meeting, the source said that a senior store leader pointed to October 14 as an “immense” day for Apple and said that October would be a very busy month for the company and its retail stores.
Though the iPhone may debut in October assuming this information is on the money, Apple would actually introduce the phone at an event planned for September 16, according to the source.
For the past several years, Apple has traditionally unveiled the new iPhone in September and then launched it before the end of the month. That strategy has allowed the company to apply sales of a new iPhone to the September quarter to help boost financial results before the quarter comes to an end. Rolling out the iPhone in October would put a dent in Apple’s fiscal fourth-quarter results.
Launching the phone on a Tuesday would also be atypical behavior for Apple, which usually kicks off a new iPhone on a Friday to cash in on a full weekend of sales. According to MacRumors’ source, Apple wants to start iPhone sales early in the week rather than waiting until Friday due to large customer demand and a hefty supply of the product as a result of increased production.
Related Stories
- iPhone 6 Rumors
- Apple reportedly readying record production for iPhone 6
- Apple’s iPhone 6 could be NFC capable, report says
- iPhone 6: Most-wanted features
The source didn’t seem to indicate whether Apple would launch just the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in October or add the rumored 5.5.-inch model as well. Prior reports have suggested that production challenges may delay the debut of the 5.5-inch phablet-sized iPhone until later this year or even next year.
Why Apple would change gears this year and wait until October to kick off its new phone isn’t clear from the report. So for now, let’s take all this information with the usual grain of salt. Still, October does promise to be a hectic month for the company. That’s when Apple is likely to reveal its new iPad Air, iPad Mini, Macs, iOS 8, OS X Yosemite, and potentially an iWatch.
