iPhone 6 September Event 'Tentatively' Planned By Apple

Apple is "gearing up" for an event in mid-September to announce the next iPhone offerings, sources have informed 9to5Mac.

The publication reports that the second and third weeks of the month are the most likely estimates for the event, but that "manufacturing uncertainties" could change the timeline.

9to5Mac's sources also claimed that Apple has yet to make a decision on whether it will announce the 5.5-inch "phablet" model at the event, as the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is "farther along in both internal testing and manufacturing preparation."

Reports out of China and Germany have similarly noted that the iPhone 6 is being tied to a September release date, which the reports are suggesting will be Friday, the 19th.

Key alleged features were also revealed with the leaks, including a 128GB memory option for the "phablet" 5.5-inch variant. The Chinese report added, however, that both smartphone models would skip the 16GB option and start at 32GB and 64GB options instead.

The larger iPhone will also apparently feature a better camera than the 4.7-inch model thanks to the addition of optical image stabilization, which improves photo quality in low light conditions.

Specs rumors for the sixth-generation iPhone include an Apple A8, Near Field Communication (NFC) for mobile payments, Touch ID and an improved camera. The same color options offered in the iPhone 5S (Silver, Gold and Space Gray) have also been tipped for the iPhone 6 in a recent leak.

Meanwhile, only those who shell out enough dough for the 64GB version may be able to get their hands on the highly-rumored sapphire glass displays, Cult of Mac reports.

With various reports suggesting Apple may not be able to produce enough of the sapphire displays to meet initial demand, it is entirely possible that only the most expensive iPhone models could include the feature. While some believe it could be limited exclusively to the 64GB version of the 5.5-inch model, Cult of Mac calculates that it's more likely the 64GB variants of both sizes (4.7 and 5.5 inches) will get the sapphire glass.