Apple To Launch 4.7- And 5.5-Inch iPhone As Soon As September.

Apple is said to be readying to release its next iPhone in both 4.7- and 5.5-inch screen sizes, with a launch as early as September, according to a report by Japanese business news publication Nikkei today. The production cycle is already ramping up, with component makers producing elements like fingerprint sensors and LCD driver chips, according to the paper, with LCD mass production kicking off in the April-June quarter. Apple is also expected to increase the display resolution of these devices compared to current models, which could be designed to keep pixel density high on the larger new screens. Full HD resolution is a likely possibility if these rumors are true.

While it’s risky to go trusting rumors about iPhone launches this early, the Nikkei’s report has a few things that make it ring true. First, the 4.7- and 5.5-inch screen sizes have been reported previously by Bloomberg, and the Wall Street Journal also chiming in early this year to say two larger phones are in development. Also, Nikkei reported last year that the iPhone 5s and 5c would launch September 20 in Japan before either was officially announced, which was exactly when they did end up arriving.

Critics have long called for Apple to release devices with larger screen sizes, and so far, the rumor mill indicates it will finally go beyond the 4-inch display shared by the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. We’ll likely have to wait for fall to find out for sure, but for now, start stretching out those thumbs.