iPhone 6 Release Date Rumors Focus on Late September

The iPhone 6 release date is set for September according to any believable rumor, and the latest iPhone 6 rumors are finally pinning down specific dates. A new report claims the iPhone 6 release date lands during the last week in September. The new iPhone 6 rumor also claims the name for the new iPhone will be iPhone Air, not iPhone 6.

iPhone 6 rumors and leaks are in full force this summer as consumers cannot wait to learn about the new iPhone and when they can finally buy it. While many leaks focus on the iPhone 6 release date, only a few offer very specific dates in September.

The two potential iPhone 6 release dates come right before the end of Apple’s fiscal year, and line up with the timing of the last two iPhone release windows. Combined with the multiple reports of a new iPhone release date in September it is very likely that one of these rumored dates is the real iPhone 6 release date.

Unfortunately this also means the sources could be taking best guess, instead of sharing real insider information. Here’s a look at the latest iPhone 6 release date rumors, including one that claims Apple will start selling the iPhone 6 on September 25th.

According to China.com, internal sources tell the publication that the iPhone 6 release date is September 25th. This is a Thursday at the tail end of the month, which is a little out of line with Apple’s iPhone release timing in the U.S., but this could be a release date for China. The report also indicates China Mobile and China Unicom are currently testing the iPhone 6 prototype, but there is no word on China Telecom.

The iPhone 5s release date in China came months after the U.S. release date in 2013, but with a larger screen and relationships in place it is more likely that the iPhone 6 release dates will be close in the U.S. and in China. Asian markets favor large screen smartphones, which may be one of the driving forces behind larger iPhone 6 release dates.

Two reports agree that the iPhone 6 release date is set for September 19th, a Friday late in the month. This is more than a week before the end of Apple’s fiscal year, which allows the company to book the first weekend of sales before closing the year. This would allow Apple to show a more favorable performance to investors. At least one analyst believes Apple will sell significantly more iPhones in the months after the release date, into the buys holiday shopping season.

A report in May detailed German Apple Stores blocking employee vacation time during September 15 – 28th to keep staff on hand for the iPhone 6 release date. In late May Deutsche Telekom customer service representatives let slip that customers should expect an iPhone 6 release date on September 19th, which matches up with this vacation blackout. In late June another report from a Chinese microblogging service outlined a iPhone 6 release date with 32GB and 64GB models, priced in line with the current 16GB and 32GB iPhone 5s units.

This new report specifically mentions a 16GB iPhone 6, so Apple may not be ready to drop that as the earlier information suggested. China also mentions the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 in the report and the iPhone Air name. Due to the translation it is difficult to tell if sources claim Apple will use the iPhone Air name for both iPhone 6 screen sizes, or only for the larger 5.5-inch model. Early indications point to a later 5.5-inch iPhone 6 release, but in the last 30 days analysts are coming to the conclusion that both models could arrive at the same time or within weeks, instead of months. 

The iPhone 6 rumors currently suggest two distinct screen sizes, but a similar design that is thinner with curved edges and rounded corners. We could see a new backlighting film used to help keep the device thin and Sapphire on the screen to prevent scratches. Inside expect an Apple A8 processor, 1GB RAM and a boosted camera experience.