The iPhone 6 release date this 2014 is gradually appearing on the horizon as fresh report from Asia, where the iOS 8-powered smartphone will be assembled, indicated of ramped up production for components that will end up with the device.

A current production boom trend is now being observed in Japan, specifically for machine tools and components that will be used in assembling mobile devices, CNET said in a report.

Overall, Japanese suppliers are crediting some 15 per cent spike in components and machinery orders from last year that would ship shortly to China. Pointing to Japanese newspaper Nikkei as source, CNET said that the ongoing high demand is generated by the preparation for the next iPhone.

The Nikkei daily stressed on its report that the bulk of the shipments will head to the so-called Apple ecosystem, which signals too that manufacturing activities for the iPhone 6 will commence shortly or is already underway.

This development, reports said, points to the likelihood of a nearing iPhone 6 release date, which according to analysts will happen in the last month of Q3 2014 or mid-September.

Meanwhile, some of the possible new features for the next iPhone are hinted anew by codes detected from the second beta version of iOS 8 and developments in the supply chain area.

According to Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac, the iPhone 6 is likely to feature a barometer and air pressure sensor that will aid in forecasting altitude and weather condition. These capabilities are coded with the iOS 8 and should be part of the device coming out of the box.

Gurman added that clearly the additional iPhone functions are geared for appreciation by outgoing users, who will find the tools very useful during their biking, hiking and mountain climbing trips.

Then Sharp revealed this week its revolutionary Free Form Display technology that the company said will be ready for use "at the earliest possible date."

Free Form Display will allow "the bezel to be shrunk considerably, and it gives the freedom to design the LCD to match whatever shape the display area of the screen needs to be," Sharp was reported by MacRumors as saying.

As Sharp is an active and major display partner of Apple, this could mean that the next-generation iOS devices like the iPhones and iPads will come with ultra-thin bezels surrounding the screen if the technology is used.

However, there is no assurance yet from Apple or Sharp if Free Form Display will be part of the iPhone 6 and 2014 iPads debut.

Regardless, release date of the iOS 8-powered iPhone 6 is said to be on Sept 19 2014 as reportedly implied by a German telco, which should be both for the 4.7-inch model and the 5.5-inch build or the first Apple phablet.