Get your hearty pinch of salt at the ready, latest leaks have suggested that the iPhone 6S could be heading for release as early as spring 2015.
Despite the iPhone 6 having only recently entered the realms of reality, the ever churning rumour mill is already looking to what’s next, with latest reports throwing up a couple of questionable surprises.
A move which would go against the grain of Apple’s rigid product cycles, claimed supply chain sources have hinted that the iPhone 6 follow-on could land as early as spring to accompany the upcoming Apple Watch peripheral to market.
“Apple is looking at a condensed six month release timetable going forward in order to not only keep up with the more frequent release from Samsung, but also to provide a boost to iPhone sales when the iWatch launch in the spring,” the unnamed insiders reportedly told the Stabley Times.
Given the less than official avenues through which these leaks have surfaced, we would suggest taking them extremely lightly for now.
What’s more, with both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus having only gone on sale back in September – and demand for both still struggling to keep up with demand – we can’t see Apple pitching in with a new device before its annual cycle rolls around in September.
However, according to the circumspect reports, the spring iPhone 6S release will still be followed by the introduction of a new iPhone 7 later in the year.
Casting further doubts over the speculative claims, the reports have stressed Apple is still early in its decision making process and “could easily change its mind”.
To date Sony has been the only major backer of six month smartphone cycles. Now, with the Japanese manufacturer continuing to lose money in the mobile sector, the company has admitted it will soon drop its sort-term cycles in favour of more traditional, annual releases.
“The replacement ratio [on our flagship phones] is about six months,” Calum MacDougall, Sony’s Director of Xperia Marketing said while addressing TrustedReviews recently. “This might not necessarily be something we continue in the long term, but for now, in the beginning of the Z series, we believe we can bring experiences which are fresh and new and relevant, and justify for the consumer buying a new product.”
He added: “Of course that means the step up from product to product is not necessarily as big as you might see if you kept it over a year.
“It is not a sustainable strategy over the long term.”
