Larger Version of iPhone 6 Might Be Delayed

A concept made by designer Federico Ciccarese shows the possible sizes of the iPhone 6 (middle and right).

Image: Federico Ciccarese

A larger version of the next-generation iPhone is expected to come with a slimmer battery, but complications related to finding the right size could delay the launch of the model to as late as 2015.

According to Taiwan's Industrial and Commercial Times, and spotted by MacRumors, Apple might be pushing back the debut of its 5.5-inch iPhone 6 to next year due to issues with finding a sufficient battery slim enough to fit into the device's "very thin" design.



It's been long rumored that Apple will debut two iPhone sizes at its next smartphone launch: both a 4.7- and a 5.5-inch model, which for now is referred to as the "iPhone Air." The report notes that Apple is looking for a battery that is just 2 mm (0.08 inch) thick or less for the iPhone Air as a part of an effort to make the device as slim as possible.

The 4.7-inch model is reportedly still on track to launch this fall, which is in line with Apple's launch cycle for smartphones.

This isn't the first time we've heard production issue rumors related to the iPhone Air. Last month, Reuters reported display obstacles for the 5.5-inch model, which involves Japan Display, LG and Sharp.
Stepping into the 5.5-inch space would represent Apple's first foray into larger handsets (a.k.a "phablets"). Samsung kicked off the bigger smartphone market in 2011 when it announced the original 5.3-inch Galaxy Note phone. Other manufacturers such as HTC, Nokia and LG rolled out similar sizes soon afterward.


It's also rumored that the iPhone 6 may get a bump up in price by $100.