The current iPhone, the 5S, has a 4-inch screen. Photo: Getty Images
Apple is ramping up on two bigger
devices, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the
plans are private. One model will have a 4.7-inch display, compared to
the 4-inch screen of the current iPhone 5s, that may be available to
ship to retailers around September, said two of the people. A 5.5-inch
version is also being prepared for manufacturing and may be available at
the same time, the people said.
The new iPhones
will also be rounder and thinner than previous models, said one of the
people. Production of the 5.5-inch model is more complicated than the
smaller version, resulting in lower production efficiency that must be
overcome before manufacturing volume can be increased, said the person.
Apple
is getting ready for its annual unveiling of new iPhones after rivals
including Samsung and HTC released smartphones with displays that are as
large as 5.7 inches. Consumers have been gravitating toward
larger-screen devices — in China, 40 percent of mobile gadgets based on
Google's Android operating system that were sold in 2014 had display
sizes of more than 5 inches, according to an estimate from Forrester
Research.
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Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook is under pressure to
reignite Apple's sales growth and the iPhone, which generates more than
half of the company's annual revenue, remains his chief weapon. Last
year, the smartphone produced $91 billion in revenue alone, more than
the total sales of Oracle, Yahoo, Facebook and Twitter combined.
Natalie Kerris, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California- based Apple, declined to comment.
http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/mobiles/apples-largest-ever-iphones-said-to-start-mass-output-next-month-20140625-zskxi.html
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