Apple has finalized 4.8-inch display for iPhone 6 says analyst

The “one size fits all” worked well for Apple in the seven years since the launch of the first iPhone, diagonal of 3.5″ and 4″ proving denominators chosen well enough to attract a wide range of users. Orientation preferences of users to larger screens is however a tendency that only a blind man could deny, Apple is bound, sooner or later, to react.

Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company, who issued a note to investors on Wednesday in which he claimed that much of the design of Apple's next iPhone has been finalized. Citing checks within the company's supply chain, he believes the handset will feature a larger 4.8-inch display, matching the trend of larger smartphones elsewhere in the market.

Arcuri isn't the first to suspect that Apple will launch a larger iPhone model this year, with various earlier rumors suggesting the company has been toying with screen sizes just under 5 inches. One of the most respected Apple analysts, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, said last September that the company is likely to launch a larger iPhone this year, but that the device will not exceed 5 inches due to Apple's "unwavering principle of one hand use."

Arcuri says that Apple will introduce "key software innovations" with the next iOS update as well. Prominent among them is expected to be mobile payments, which will use existing technologies like Passbook, Touch ID and iBeacon. 

Acuri also expects that Apple, following its launch schedule for iPhone devices, will announce the alleged iPhone 6 in September.

Contradicting to the current report, a Chinese analyst recently claimed that Apple might launch an iPhone with 4.7-inch display at the WWDC event scheduled in June 2014, while a 5.7-inch variant would follow it soon after. According to the Chinese analyst, Apple would launch two iPhone models, much like the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s announced last year; and this time, it has been believed they would be sporting different screen sizes.

The analyst also suggested that the Cupertino-based company would start trial-production of the alleged iPhone with a 4.7-inch display in February, and if things go Apple's way, the company would start mass-production of the 4.7-inch iPhone in May.

An earlier report had suggested that Apple has been considering use of alloys for its new iPhone, which was hinted at by a Liquidmetal patent filing.

He also said that the iPhone 5S, with technologies like fingerprint scanner and 64-bit processor, was a "set-up" for the next generation smartphone. He said that these technologies will enable the iPhone maker to debut new services that will give it an edge in the smartphone market. 

There are rumors that the iPhone 6 might be coming out as early as in June, but Arcuri believes Apple won’t be hurrying, and will be sticking to its annual September release schedule. We’ll have more on the matter when new details are out.