Apple Starts Ramping Up Production Of New iPhones

Apple is making the final preparations for the release of its next iPhone devices, reports have claimed.

The company has begun ramping up production of its new smartphones ahead of a projected release date this autumn.

The Wall Street Journal reports that between 85 million and 90 million units have been ordered as the company anticipates huge demand for its first devices in a year, beating the current order record of between 70 million and 80 million that Apple placed for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Under way

Although this may sound like wishful thinking, previous sales figures released by Apple suggest that these projections could prove accurate.

The company recently revealed that it shipped 74.46 million iPhones in the first quarter of its fiscal 2015 (September 28 to December, 2014), with 61.17 million units sold in the second quarter (December 28 to March 28, 2015).

So far, reports have suggested that the new releases could either be an updated version of Apple’s flagship phone, the supposed iPhone 6S, or a budget version, the iPhone 6C.

But the WSJ reports today  also claim that the new devices will resemble the current iPhone 6 and 6 Plus designs, with a 4.7in and 5.5in build ordered by the company, meaning that any significant updates couldcome from within.

Rumours surrounding the device have suggested a radical overhaul for Apple, claiming (among other things) that the phone will do away with the home button, as well as featuring facial recognition and hand gesture control functions for users to interact with their device.

The new devices will also reportedly come with Apple’s Force Touch feature, which senses how hard users are pressing down on a screen to perform separate functions, such as selecting text or taking multiple photos.

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