For months, the Internet has been swarmed with various rumors and leaks regarding the next iteration of Apple's flagship smartphone, the iPhone 6. Speculation was that the phone would hit shelves some time this fall, most likely in September, but no evidence confirmed these conjectures until now.

Reuters reported the latest iPhone could come to market a month earlier than predicted. Citing Taiwanese media outlet Economic Daily News, it is believed that the heavily rumored 4.7-inch screen version will be on sale as soon as August of this year.

The newspaper also reported that that a larger 5.5-inch or 5.6-inch model would be made available in September, following the trend set Apple's previous devices.

The report also notes that Apple plans to produce 80 million handsets. Suppliers Foxconn and Largan Precision will aid in the device assembly.

This new information contradicts previous reports that Apple planned to release the smaller screen model in September or October with the larger version coming sometime later, possibly in 2015.

The larger model marks new ground for Apple. The company has long been reluctant to pursue large screen phones even as other companies, such as HTC and Samsung, came out with their own 5-inch plus screen smartphones. Apple may be trying to cash in on the growing "phablet" craze in oversea markets, where many consumers lack access to computers and rely on a sole electronic device to suit most of their technological needs.

In the last couple of weeks, several photos and videos showcasing physical iPhone 6 dummies have hit the web, and the difference in size is very apparent. Though no image has yet captured the two alternate size versions side by side, photos, such as those above from Chinese phone case retailer Inner Exile (posted by electronic site Nowhereelse.fr), give us a sense of what we can expect from the new iPhone.

As usual, Apple representatives have not confirmed this news as of yet, so take everything with a grain of salt. Still, given past rumors and the past reliability of the source, it seems likely we can look forward to getting our hands on the iPhone 6 before summer ends.

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