The iPhone 6 release date, according to the latest reports from Asia, will likely happen in the second half of 2014, essentially replicating the iPhone 5S debut time in 2013.

The latest development runs in counter with the chatter that erupted last week, suggesting of a May 2014 outing for the rumoured first iOS phablet from Apple. According to DigiTimes, production of essential components for the iPhone 6 will only start in the second quarter this year.

That forecast alone, which the Taiwanese publication said is based on information from a supply chain insider, negates the likelihood of a Q2 2014 rollout for the 5S replacement.

So it will be months from now before Apple fans can actually get hold of the next iOS flagship smartphone but many of its functions and capabilities are already giveaways thanks to the torrent of clues gleaned from leaks, analyst projections and published patents.

Listed below are the top 5 iPhone features that are pretty much confirmed:

TouchID fingerprint sensor

This was featured and introduced by Apple when the iPhone was debuted in September 2013 and apparently, basing on the same DigiTimes report, TouchID will make a return in the next iPhone. It is given, of course that there will be improvements and as reported this week, one possibility is that the whole TouchID mechanism will include pressure sensors that are made from Liquidmetal alloy.

The new material will be introduced to give the TouchID button better durability, said the same report.

Screen size between 4.5-inch and 5-inch

While speculations are rife that Apple is going phablet for the iPhone 6, KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo favours the possibility of a not too large 2014 iPhone model. The reason, Kuo said, is the tech giant's insistence to keep the one-hand navigation function of its flagship device.

It is highly likely that the next iPhone screen will be upsized but Apple would be reluctant to jump to the supersize bandwagon. Instead, the largest that the company can go is 5-inch, tops.

Better Retina-class display panel

As expected, the iPhone 6 would improve from what mostly were served from the iPhone 5S and one glaring enhancement is the display quality. If indeed Apple engineers would not opt for the wider or larger screen then one thing is sure, the former will display a better resolution, likely making the iPhone 6 a 1080p device.

This is made possible by the LTPS LCD technology, which is in use with the iPhone 5S, CNET said in a report.

8MP rear shooter

As Android rivals are currently brandishing 13MP rear cams and are probably jumping to 16MP in the upcoming iterations, Apple will stick to the 8MP lens sensor that dates back to the iPhone 4S. However, the iPhone maker will stay true to its reputation of delivering the best camera phone in every new iOS smartphone build.

Apple will not play the megapixel games that other mobile phone makers are into. In the iPhone 6, the tech giant will focus on engineering improvements that go beyond the number games. The object is to enable iPhone users to capture moments in quality pics and clips no matter the lighting condition and other crucial cam shooting factors.

iOS 8 in full 64-bit environment

Apple dubbed the 64-bit iPhone 5S as forward-looking, indicating that the iOS ecosystem is gradually easing into the new set of instructions for breakneck processing speed. By the time the iPhone 6 is introduced, this transition will be completed and to best reflect such amazing migration is the iOS 8 that will bump off the iOS 7.

If the iPhone 6 release date falls between the months of August and September this 2014, then a new mobile operating system from Apple by that time of the current year is just in line with its platform upgrade cycle.