Apple is gearing up for BIG PLANS next year, according to company CEO Tim Cook, sparking speculations that the roadmap is all set for an iPhone 6 release date that could happen as early as May 2014.

In a holiday message for Apple employees and published by numerous tech sites, Cook hinted of "some big plans that we think customers are going to love."

While skipping on specifics, Cook's words point to upcoming mobile devices that Apple watchers said will represent an overall upsized plan from previous iOS gadgets. CNET offered the possibility of large-screen tablets and smartphones from the tech.

One of them could be the rumoured iPad Pro, which is likely to sport a 12-inch viewing panel. According to numerous leaked reports, the iPad Pro could be introduced as Apple's first convertible - acting as a stand-alone tablet and seamlessly becoming a Mac notebook when docked to a keyboard accessory.

However, what really excites the rumour mill is the high likelihood that Apple's big plans include the iPhone 6, which is being is touted as the company's initial foray into the phablet market created and currently dominated by Samsung - Apple's fiercest smartphone rival.

Apple insiders and analysts alike are in agreement that the next iPhone build will deviate from the current screen standard of 4-inch that was displayed via the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5S after it. Various screen sizes have been floating around, from 4.5-inch to 6-inch but Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities is firmly convinced that if indeed the iPhone 6 is real its screen size will not breach the 5-inch mark.

Apple is keen on adhering to the principle of one-hand use for smartphones so 5-inch represents the sweet spot for the iPhone 5S replacement, Kuo insists.

Meanwhile, the big plans that Apple is likely to unleash next year are seemingly supported by the latest buzz coming from the tech giant's supply chain hub - Asia.

According Taiwanese publication DigiTimes, Apple appears headed for a grand entry into oversized smartphone competition in the second quarter of 2014.

"Apple is also rumoured to be planning a larger size iPhone for May 2014, using a 20nm processor manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)," the report said.

The company is also planning the rollout of 12-inch or 13-inch tablets by October of the same year, DigiTimes added, somehow backing up Apple's reported big plans for 2014.

On release date, the iPhone 6 looks like as the next big thing from Apple as rumours suggest that it is both a beastly and brawny smartphone - powered by the tandem of a 64-bit A8 CPU and iOS 8 then housed in a super-slim shell made of Liquidmetal with sapphire for its glass cover and overall coating.