iPhone 6 release date, news and rumors

The new iPhone could be one of the most pivotal devices in the Cupertino brand's history - with the the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6.
As per usual, the internet is awash with rumor, speculation and downright lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spend our time trawling through each nugget of info, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read hub for all things iPhone 6.

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Some of you might have been expecting the iPhone 6 to have debuted in 2013, but given the iPhone's history - from the 3G onwards, there's always been a half-step S model before the next numbered iPhone - we were never going to get the 6 until 2014. In fact, it will technically be the iPhone 8 by that point... but hey, who's counting these days?
One thing is for sure, with the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] just around the corner, Apple will need to be on its game with the new handset - and many believe a bigger screen is simply a must.



iPhone 6 release date
The iPhone 6 release date will be in 2014, although exactly when that will be in the year is still a little unclear.
Here's what we think is most likely to happen: at WWDC in June this year we'll see the obvious release of iOS 8, but also a larger-screened iPhablet as Apple looks to bring itself to the fore in Asian markets and rivalling the likes of the Galaxy Note 3.
We'd have usually given this kind of rumor a wide berth, but multiple reports have spoken of a larger device from Apple at the June event, so we're starting to give them some credence. At the very least, Apple is definitely testing it, but may not bring it to market.
After that, Apple will launch the iPhone 6 in September, along with the iWatch and the first view of iOS 8, to allow it to both bring a new product to market as well as keeping its schedule safe. This is [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], which does have a decent record in Apple early leaks.
Apple has launched the last few iPhones at a special event in September, so the smart money is on September 2014 for the iPhone 6's arrival but won't be the only mobile hardware we see from the firm this year.

Lost home button?
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], of the many iPhone 6 prototypes Apple has made, one has a giant Retina+ IGZO display and a "new form factor with no home button. Gesture control is also possibly included." It will surely include Apple's new Touch ID finger print tech though?
The Retina+ Sharp IGZO display [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] a 1080p Full HD resolution. It's also been widely reported that Apple could introduce two handset sizes as it seeks to compete with the plethora of Android devices now on the market.
We reckon there will be two screen sizes and resolutions, as mentioned above. A Full HD display makes perfect sense for the iPhone 6, especially if it grows to a 4.7-inch screen as mooted, and the iPhablet will push things even further to preserve the Retina experience on a larger display.
In other areas, patents show that Apple has been [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. Will it make it into the iPhone 6? Probably not.
That said, there's still a small possibility of the iPhone 6 sporting a [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] after more patents were uncovered, but we reckon that's more likely to feature on the iPhone 7 or 8 instead.
Back in September last year, [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] pointed to a 6-inch display, with [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] claiming it might arrive as early as May 2014 - which jives nicely with the above chat on an iPhablet.