The iPhone 6 release date could come as early as May 2014 and most likely, Apple fans can expect a phablet-size handset with a 5.7-inch screen plus major cam improvements but with a rear sensor that dates back to the iPhone 4S.

Already recognised as one of the best camera phones around, the next iPhone iteration, according to fresh reports, will offer exciting shooting capabilities for 2014. However, as reported by BGR, while Apple will upgrade the cam shooter that is packed with the iPhone 6 the tech giant will continue to veer away from the megapixel war being waged by high-end Android smartphones.

So unlike the HTC One and Galaxy S4, from Asian tech firms HTC and Samsung respectively, the iPhone 6 is set to show off an 8MP rear cam. Note that the same configuration was introduced by Apple when the iPhone 4S first hit the market in 2011.

But the distinction in the 2014 serving, according to Unwired View, would be marked improvements in optical image stabilisation (OIS) and auto-focus (AF).

Pointing to a recently unearthed patent filing from Apple, Unwired View reported that while the iPhone 6 will seemingly in a familiar package, immense improvements on device capabilities can be expected from within.

"Miniature cameras are becoming increasingly common in mobile electronic devices such as smartphones. There is a constant drive to improve performance of such cameras, while still maintaining the same envelope," the same report quoted the Apple document as saying.

And while Apple shuns away from the camera numbers game, it appears that the company is finally willing to slug it out with giant smartphones that run on Android and Windows mobile operating system.

Per reports from Gotta Be Mobile, it is highly likely that while Apple will maintain its 8MP rear camera standard, the same shooter will be framed in a bigger iPhone 6 casing as sources from Asia supply chain players indicated that for the current year the upcoming iPhone will go big - boasting of a 5.7-inch screen, tops.

The specs were sourced from suggestions that Apple is deviating from its usual iPhone business model in 2014. It will release three iPhone versions - 2 iOS phablets with 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch screen set for May release and the iPhone 6 with an unknown screen dimension.

The latter is reportedly pegged for a Sept 2014 release date at the latest.

Yet another possibility is Apple would jump straight to a phablet-class handset and call it the iPhone 6 or iPhone Air as many reports have been suggesting. And if rumours would prove right that Foxconn and Pegatron will equally split this year's iPhone volume production, there is chance the device would debut in May 2014.

With the two giant Chinese device manufactures assembling the iPhone 6 in high gear, production and release calendar of the device should be met with minimal issues, Apple watchers said.

On release date, the iPhone 6 is also anticipated to showcase a virtually indestructible Liquidmetal casing, sapphire glass and coating, an A8 chip in 64-bit mobile computing standard and iOS 8.