Will Apple opt for a much earlier release date for its rumoured phablet, the iPhone 6, as the company is reportedly set to surprise the market with more than 55 million iPhones sold in the last quarter of 2013?

According to 9to5Mac, the iPhone maker shipped out 55.3 million iPhones in the last three months of 2013. The numbers, represent the best quarterly sales ever for the tech giant since the first iPhone model was introduced in 2007, added the same story.

Citing data from Fortune, 9to5Mac said in the report that Apple's fourth quarter sales last year soared by 16 per cent when compared to the same period in 2012. And the likelihood is, the actual numbers that Apple CEO Tim Cook will release Monday next week will be a bit higher.

Fortune based its estimates on notes provided by 44 analysts.

The iPhone figures set for official revelation in a few days are set to highlight a banner 2013 for Apple, which contradicts earlier projections that the 2013 iPhone models - consisting of the iPhone 5S and the less expensive iPhone 5C - were not performing as expected.

As it turned out, the 5S even outpaced Samsung's Galaxy S4 in total sales by the end of December 2013. Note that following its March 2013 debut, the GS4 topped the quarterly charts in June and September of last year.

Now that the 5S and 5C duo is proving a solid release for Apple, will the next iPhone build see a delay on its supposed 2014 rollout?

That is a possibility but some analysts that for Apple to sustain its robust showing in 2013, it is best that the iPhone 6 will come out as early as possible in 2014.

And basing on fresh reports coming from Asia, the tech giant appears bent on unleashing the iPhone juggernaut earlier than anticipated, likely by May 2014 if a report by Unwired View this week is to be believed.

The tech blog site, pointing to Chinese publication Tencent as source, claimed that two iPhone 6 models will come out this year and both will sport phablet-size display panels. The first one, with a 4.7-inch screen, is set for unveiling in late Q2 2014 so the target issuance would be between May and June.

The second build, with a huge 5.7-inch screen, will roll out in line with Apple's normal iPhone release cycle, which is in the latter part of Q3 2014 or September.

By providing two iPhones within the same calendar year, Apple is essentially spreading out the strength of its core offering and ensuring that all quarters will be covered with relatively fresh iPhones circulating in the market.

For instance in the March 2014 quarter, the iPhone 5S and 5C are expected to continue delivering the goods for Apple while the first iPhone 6 for 2014, said to be flashing a 720p screen resolution, will cover parts of the June quarter then banner the September period.

As for the 2014 holiday season, the 1080p iPhone 6 will be the headline model and is geared to replicate Apple's record numbers in the last quarter of 2013.

On release date, the iPhone 6 is rumoured to pack a 64-bit A8 processing chip, a Liquidmetal casing with sapphire glass and coating plus iOS 8 as among its killer features.