Phablet fad put on ice as larger iPhone is delayed until next year

Apple won’t be rushing to join the phablet fad this year, with insiders revealing the tech giant’s plans for a larger-sized iPhone are being put on hold.

While tablet-sized phones, or ‘phablets’, are said to be the next big growth area for the smartphone industry, it seems Apple is happy to take its time with realising a phablet version of its iPhone.

According to iTWire, iPhone phablets are proving too hard to make for Apple and will subsequently be delayed until next year, if they go ahead at all.

The smartphone market had been expecting the release of two new Apple phones in September according to iTWire – a 4.7 inch version to replace the existing iPhone 5 range, and a massive 5.5 inch model to compete against Android and Windows devices of that size.

It was believed the entrance of Apple would boost the emerging phablet market in Australia.

“Some 40% of survey respondents that intend to purchase an iPhone 6 indicated they would only consider it if it has a larger screen,” said Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi.

While Apple is sticking to its usual mode of operation by staying tight-lipped on the releases, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of Chinese financial group KGI Securities—who is believed to have contacts deep in Apple’s supply chain—has said Apple is having major difficulties manufacturing the 5.5 inch iPhone.

Ming-Chi told Apple Insider Apple is facing production problems with the 4.7-inch model relating to the device’s new ‘in-cell touch panel’, as well as colour unevenness issues with the redesigned metal casing of the iPhone 6. The problems are said to be even worse with the larger 5.5-inch model.

Ming-Chi also said he doesn’t expect that the highly anticipated new scratch-resistant sapphire screen will “easily pass the drop test near term” on the 5.5-inch model. He said that technical issues could also prompt delays.