Bigger iPhones and iPads hinted at in new developer tools

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iphone6s

The Rumor: The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will start production in July, but the 5.5-incher will wait until August.

The Verdict: Definitely yes. Even though the rumor comes from the unreliable Digitimes, Apple has to start producing the iPhone 6 en mass by late-July or early-August if it hopes to have enough on shelves for its regular fall launch. The production delays on the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will be frustrating for fanboys wanting their first phablet, but maybe the goodies in iOS 8 will keep them distracted long enough they won't notice.


Everyone expects Apple to release a larger 4.7-inch iPhone this fall, and there are reports of an even larger 5.5-inch model floating around the supply chain. Heck, we’ve seen 12-inch iPad parts leak recently. It’s pretty clear that displays are only going to be getting bigger.

Developers will need to update their apps to fit new screen sizes, and today Apple provided a way for them to do just that.

Cult of Mac reader Fabrizio sent us in a screenshot of the new Xcode beta, the tool devs use to make apps for the App Store.

Screenshot 2014-06-02 22.12.51

There’s a built-in simulator that allows devs to test the way their apps work before compiling. In the new Xcode, Apple has added a “resizable” simulator that can be stretched to fit an arbitrary screen resolution.

So if devs want to test their apps in a larger iPhone or iPad resolution, they can do so. It’s not a confirmation that larger displays are coming, but the timing is certainly interesting.

Reports have indicated that Apple will likely move up from the current 1136 x 640 resolution to 1740 x 960 for the iPhone 6.

Update: Our tipster has told us that the iPhone simulator does not accept values ​​higher than 1024 for height and 760 for width.

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