Rumor Mill: Apple iPhone 6S To Launch In August

Apple Inc. AAPL is usually the source of a number of rumors around product cycle and upgrades. The latest that's circulating: the iPhone 6, still a strong seller, may see an upgrade this summer, according to BGR, which sourced the Economic Daily News in China. If true, that upgrade cycle would come a month or more ahead of its usual cycle in the September or October timeframe.

In Q1, Apple posted its second-best quarter ever as the result of strong iPhone sales. The company sold 61.2 million iPhones in Q1, the second quarter that it was available. The company also said a larger number of users were switching to the iPhone than before. At the same time, the company noted that just 20 percent of current iPhone customers had upgraded to the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus.

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These latest rumors assume that iOS 9 would be ready to roll out at the same time as the physical iPhones ship, not a guarantee. The iPhones will come in the two sizes - 6 and 6 Plus - and contain "2GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel camera, Force Touch support and improved aluminum alloy housing to prevent bending."

If the iPhone launches in August, it will more directly compete with the next version of SAMSUNG ELECT LTD's SSNLF Galaxy Note 5. Many currently expect Samsung to launch the Galaxy Note 5 in July.