Four months from now and Apple is expected to release their next iPhone version. However, it is still debatable as to what model is it going to be. The house is divided at this, and there are said to be "two schools of thoughts about Apple's plans for its iPhone line in 2015." The "tick-tock" technology would then be the deciding factor for the roll out date of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7.
First school of thought: Apple's "tick-tock" approach
The first school of thought is that Apple might release an iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus this year, which was said to be in line with the company's usual "tick-tock style upgrade process." Every tick-cycle results to a roll out of an iPhone that has "big changes," and every tock-cycle releases an iPhone with "smaller, incremental" improvements.
The "tick-tock" upgrade is implemented by Intel, where a "tick" advances manufacturing technology and a "tock" gives new microarchitecture. One "tick" upgrade done by Intel was the launching of 3D tri-gate transistors with the 22 nm manufacturing process technology. This gave better performance and extended the battery life of smartphones, tablets, and other devices. On the other hand, the "tock" cycle will see Intel using the previous "tick" cycle's manufacturing process technology to introduce next big changes in processor microarchitecture, which aims to improve energy efficiency, performance, functionality, and density of features.
Apple was seen to be somewhat falling into a similar pattern, especially on their iPhone products. When the company released the 4s, it was a "tock" to the previous iPhone 4 "tick." This was also similar to the "tick-tock pattern" done through the roll out of the iPhone 3G in 2008 and the 3Gs in 2009.
Second school of thought: Apple might drop the "tick-tock" approach
The other school of thought is that Apple might drop this "tick-tock" approach and skip the iPhone 6s and proceed directly to iPhone 7. The reason that the company would proceed to iPhone 7 is due to a perception that "Apple is worried people are getting wise to its ways and is concerned too many users would wait for the iPhone 7 should the 6s launch in 2015," which is said to be a potential thing to happen and could hurt profits for the year.
There are reports suggesting that Apple could slice into half its smartphone update cycle in 2015, resulting to two iPhone launches in a single year. In other words, the company might release the iPhone 6s during the first half of 2015 and roll out the iPhone 7 in their usual late-Q3 date, which is around September. This was reportedly due to the "S" range as to be "more down-market than the model that preceded it, and Apple is very much focused on being a premium product company."
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also said that the "next-generation iPhone will have a FPC-made capacitive Force Touch sensor," which would be enough reason for Apple to call its next iPhone as "iPhone 7," skipping the iPhone 6s.
However, a report coming from China said that Apple is starting the mass production of their iPhone 6s in June 2015 and ship 230 million units for the company's usual launch in September 2015, resulting to an iPhone 7 release in 2016.
"Tick-tock" approach would decide the release date
If the mass production turns out true, Apple would stick to their "tick-tock" approach, release the iPhone 6s (tock-cycle) this year and roll out the iPhone 7 (tick-cycle) on 2016. This was said to be highly probable as the "tick-tock" approach was seen to be "working brilliantly for several years now."
Nevertheless, Apple has yet to make official statements about the upcoming iPhone release.
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