iPhone 6 watch: Apple suppliers building up to 80M units with 4.7" and 5.5" screens

Several months ahead of Apple’s next expected iPhone launch, it’s becoming clear it’s going to be a far bigger launch than we’ve ever seen before.

Apple has reportedly ordered its suppliers to produce between 70 million and 80 million units of the so-called iPhone 6 in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes, according to  the Wall Street Journal. Last year, Apple ordered around 50 to 60 million iPhone 5S and 5C models ahead of their launch.

While it’s still far from a confirmation, the report solidifies the iPhone 6 screen size of the rumors we’ve been hearing for months. While competitors like Samsung now have flagship devices with screens around 5 inches or larger, Apple’s iPhone 5S and 5C are still stuck with 4-inch displays.

This will also be the first iPhone launch for China Mobile, the world’s largest cellular carrier, which only started offering the iPhone earlier this year. The huge potential of the Chinese market alone may account for Apple’s higher initial iPhone 6 orders.

Apple has also asked its partners to be ready for up to 120 million iPhone orders by the end of the year, the WSJ reports. That’s mainly due to the reportedly high failure rate while building the 5.5-inch iPhone 6.

The WSJ didn’t have much to add on how Apple plans to implement sapphire displays in the next iPhones, which would be far tougher than the Gorilla Glass screens it currently relies on. Apple has already built a huge sapphire production facility in Arizona, and a recent video demonstration by YouTuber Marques Brownlee shows a potential sapphire iPhone panel surviving a brutal amount of abuse.