With the latest flagship smartphones from Samsung, the Galaxy S5, and HTC, the One M8, now on the market, rumours suggest Apple wants to avoid its rivals stealing too much of a march on the new iPhone 6.
Reports suggest the Cupertino tech giant is planning to unveil the latest version of its flagship iPhone one month ahead of expectations, with a 4.7in model thought to be hitting shelves in August.
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The claim emerged from the Economic Daily News. A 5.5in or a 5.6in, premium model, is expected to follow, making its debut in September.
Predictions of a September launch for the premium version of the iPhone 6 were strengthened after it was reported that German Apple Store staff have been prevented from taking leave that month.
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In terms of the screen size, it's thought the 4.7in screen size is a sign that Apple has accepted that we are now looking for larger displays in our smartphones – something rival firms have addressed.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, meanwhile, has been quoted as saying the iPhone 4 and 4s models will be discontinued once the iPhone 6 is out, with the 5c and iPhone 5s taking those vacant price points.
Even if the iPhone 6 is launched in August, it'll be behind the LG G3. LG has already confirmed that we'll be seeing its latest smartphone make its first appearance on May 27th.
With the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8 securing four- and five-star ratings respectively, Apple's iPhone 6 will be facing some stiff competition this year.
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by Pete Hayman