Apple has placed orders for an unprecedented 68 million iPhone 6 units

Apple has placed orders for a massive 68 million in initial iPhone 6 units, roughly twice what it ordered for the iPhone 5, according to Taiwan’s Business Weekly. Mass production is slated to begin later this month. It’s uncertain though if the paper is referring solely to the 4.7-inch iPhone, the device most commonly tagged with the iPhone 6 name, or the 5.5-inch iPhone as well, in which case the 68 million figure would make more sense. In either scenario Apple is likely keen to avoid the supply shortages that plagued the iPhone 5 and 5s. A Chinese website, Laoyaoba, is meanwhile claiming that the iPhone 6 will have a unique linear motor for haptic feedback, allowing for subtle vibration patterns or even vibrations in specific sections of the touchscreen. The part will allegedly cost Apple two to three times the 60 cents it’s currently spending per motor for the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 6 is evidently a highly anticipated smartphone, and with the countless leaks and rumors that continue to surface every week, the hype keeps building up and it will most likely continue to do so until Apple’s next flagship phones will be officially announced. Rumor has it that the iPhone 6 will be announced and released in September, so we still have a few good months before we can discuss any official details regarding the device. For now we’ll have to make do with unofficial pieces of the Apple puzzle, such as the one we had found moments ago, suggesting that Apple has placed an unprecedented amount of orders. More details after the break. Earlier today, Taiwan’s “Business Weekly” reported that the amount of iPhone 6 orders is unprecedented, and it is in fact twice as large when compared to the iPhone 5. The publication has not specified whether the aforementioned orders are for the 4.7-inch or 5.5-inch model, so it could be that the report refers to both, combined. Either way, earlier rumors have indicated that shipments will be anywhere between 60 and 80 million, but Business Weekly now estimates that the first iPhone 6 batch / order will be of at least 68 million units. Furthermore, the device(s) will allegedly enter mass production in July. Foxconn and Pegatron’s chairmen, Terry Gou and Tung Tsu-hsien respectively, have supposedly been notified by Apple in regards to the production plan since the second week of June.