Apple are clearly expecting huge demand for its forthcoming iPhone 6S, with Wall Street Journal reports claiming that the consumer tech giant has requested that its suppliers manufacture between 85m and 90m units by the end of the year.
That would mean the initial production run of this latest smartphone is the largest of any iPhone ever. Apple last year ordered a then-record 70m to 80m iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models for the device’s September launch, but the company still struggled to meet demand, with some orders pushed back three to four weeks.
Though not officially announced, Apple is expected to release the iPhone 6S this autumn. While the device may not appear to be all that different when compared to the iPhone 6, 9to5Mac has previously reported that the device will boast a new processor, an improved 12-megapixel camera and increased RAM. According to the Wall Street Journal, also included will be Apple’s Force Touch feature – technology that can distinguish between a light tap and hard press, allowing users to control a device differently depending on how hard they touch the screen. Force Touch was first introduced earlier this year with the release of the Apple Watch and redesigned MacBook.
The 6S will likely feature the updated iOS 9 operating system, which promises big improvements to Siri and Maps, and an all-new News app, among other features. iOS 9 will also be available this autumn as a free upgrade for iPhone 4s and later, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2 and later, and iPad mini and later.
Released in April, Apple’s second quarter financial results showed the firm sold 61.2m iPhones in the period, meaning sales rose by 40pc versus a year ago.
While the iPhone remains ever-popular, the Apple Watch seems to be suffering. New figures have shown sales of the company’s flagship wearable have slumped 90pc since it launched in April, and that Apple is now selling fewer than 10,000 per day worldwide in some instances.
