It turns out rumors of the iPhone 6 hitting shelves later this year turned out to be true. According to an article from the Tokyo-based publication Nikkei, Apple could be looking to release the newest iteration of its flagship smartphone as early as September.

The new iPhone is expected to be offered in two sizes; a 4.7-inch screen and a 5.5-inch screen, both a significant upgrade from the 4-inch screen used in current models. The display will also receive a boost in screen resolution.

Manufacturers are scheduled to start mass production of the new displays as early as the April-June Quarter. According to CNET, one of the companies (Japan Display) has already announced a new display that could provide a major hint as to what consumers will find in Apple's new handset.

"[Japan Display] announced on Thursday that it has developed a 5.5-inch-wide Quad HD, aka, WQHD, display with a resolution of 1,440x 2,560 pixels as a display format for 'leading-edge smartphones.'" CNET went on to say, "the report cited both 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays (though it didn't specify which supplier was making which display)."

Apple has been slow to pursue larger screens in its smartphones, likely due to lack of support in the US. However, Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies mentioned at Macworld 14 that Apple may look at larger screens in order to cater to the growing "phablet" market overseas, where many consumers rely on their smartphones as their sole device.

A report from Barrons also cites a source that believes that the larger sized iPhone may launch at a later date than the smaller one.

The iPhone 6 is also rumored to feature a sapphire glass screen and a faster A8 chip.