iPhone 6 Release Date Delayed to Fall as Sapphire Display Production to Start in Second Half 2014

iPhone 6 release date is reportedly delayed this autumn as the production of the sapphire screen display will commence in the second half of the year.

According to GT Advanced, the company expects this year to be transformational as the company will undertake production of sapphire materials while continuing to invest in new technologies.

"Our results for the December quarter were in line with our guidance and the anticipated growth trajectory of our business remains unchanged. We expect to return to profitability during the second half of 2014," said President and CEO Tom Gutierrez.

This has led to speculations that the next iPhone will be released in fall as profits are expected to be raked at the same time. Earlier reports said that iPhone 6 will be released in June at the Worldwide Developers' Conference alongside iOS 8, while other reports claimed that iPhone 6 will make its debut in September.

However, reports claimed that the company has bought all the raw materials needed for the production of over 100 million sapphire screens a year. Moreover, Apple has now obtained the critical process to produce anything between 100 million to 200 million handsets sporting the super-tough screens.

According to 9to5 Mac, GT Advanced signed a deal with Apple to be in-charge of the production of the sapphire displays and the former ordered 518 sapphire furnaces and an additional 420 will come soon. This heavily suggests that Apple and GT Advanced are preparing to ramp up the production of sapphire crystal displays for the first batch of iPhone 6 supply.

Initial rumours claimed that Sapphire glass will be used in iPhone 6 and iWatch and an Apple patent heavily suggested that this will happen in the future.

Apple has not divulged any of the official iPhone 6 features yet, but iPhone 6 rumours suggest that Apple's next flagship smartphone will include a bigger screen display with the size of around 4.8 to 6 inches, faster and better A8 processor, and the upcoming iOS 8. Improvements on the TouchID fingerprint sensor are also expected to come to the Apple's device.