Report: Apple's next-gen iPhone enters production ahead of September release

According to a new report, the next-generation smartphone, widely referred to as the iPhone 6s, has now entered production. DigiTimes cites "sources at the supply chain" in noting that Apple's primary manufacturers -- Foxconn and Pegatron -- are now receiving the requisite components, with shipping expected to commence from September. 

The latest update ties in with a Bloomberg report from last month, which noted that an iPhone 6s with Force Touch could enter production in July. Given that Apple has continued to announce and roll out new iPhones in September, this aspect will likely remain constant -- this despite previous suggestions that an early announcement was on the cards. 

It's strongly suspected that a variant of the MacBook and Apple Watch's Force Touch feature will arrive with the iPhone 6s, perhaps being its flagship implementation. Baked into the display, it's a potentially exciting implementation, but there's apparently more to look forward to besides. A report earlier this week pointed to a device with a faster LTE processor that could offer download speeds of up to 300 Mbps, while also perhaps including a larger battery. 

With the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus having gone down a storm, Apple will be looking to consolidate its position in a few months' time. The fact that the next-gen models probably won't offer any visual upgrades could mean that sales don't impress quite as much as the current fleet. Then again, the iPhone 5s didn't have too much trouble selling, and with talk of a pink iPhone 6s variant on the horizon, another strong Q4 looks to be in the offing for Apple. 

source: DigiTimes