Apple to hold 'iPhone 6' media event on Sept. 9 - report

Details of the anticipated media event were first revealed on Tuesday by John Paczkowski of Re/code, who has reliably disseminated such information in the past. He reiterated rumors that the so-called "iPhone 6" will come in screen sizes of 4.7 and 5.5 inches, and that they will run next-generation A8 processors.

No rumored release date for the anticipated iPhones was given, but Apple has historically launched new models the next Friday after their public unveiling. If the company holds to that release pattern again this year, its next-generation handsets would become available to own on Friday, Sept. 19.

But recent rumors have suggested that Apple may be facing some struggles in bringing the larger 5.5-inch variant to market. A number of recent reports have claimed that Apple may be forced to push back production of the larger model.

If that's the case, then it's possible that a jumbo-sized iPhone model in the 5.5-inch range may not debut until after the 4.7-inch variant goes on sale. That wouldn't be unprecedented for the company: Just last year, the iPad Air went on sale 10 days before the second-generation iPad mini with Retina display.

Last year, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both launched on the same day, but both were based on the same design established a year prior by the iPhone 5. This year it's expected that the "iPhone 6" will have an entirely new look, boasting rounded edges along with larger screens.

This year's iPhone launch is expected to be the biggest in the company's history, with reports pegging orders of up to 80 million units through the end of 2014. Hopes for the new iPhone are also high on Wall Street, where investors believe that customers have been clamoring for larger display sizes from Apple.

The "iPhone 6" is likely to be part of a busy fall for the company, which has been particularly quiet thus far through the first seven months of 2014. But executives at Apple have teased that they have a big lineup of new products, and entirely new product categories, coming before the year's end.

In particular, Apple's most anticipated device may be the new "iWatch," which is expected to be a wrist-worn smart accessory that will track and provide users with health and fitness data. It is expected to tie into the new Health application that will be featured in the upcoming iOS 8 mobile operating system.

Apple is also expected to launch revamped iPad models this fall, with both the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display rumored to receive Touch ID fingerprint sensors within their home buttons, much like the iPhone 5s.