iPhone 6 5.5in phablet may have dual-pane display

All eyes are on Apple over the next couple of days, leading up to their much-anticipated event expected to host the unveiling of two new iPhone models, a gold iPad Air 2 and the company's first iWatch.

Rumours have now emerged via 9to5mac that the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 handset set to be announced at the event could feature an iPad-like dual-pane display when in landscape mode. This would make the UI of the phablet' much more productivity-friendly, while the portrait mode will stay the same.

This dual-pane display would provide a unique selling point for the larger handset, with the standard (though still sporting an increase in screen size) 4.7-inch acting more like a traditional iPhone.

According to the site, the technology for this has been dubbed "Adaptive UI", which allows the phablet to offer users easier multitasking a la the iPad.

Though these rumours are unconfirmed, it makes sense that Apple's biggest iPhone would host some extra features, straddling the line between phone and tablet as the name suggests.

There has also been speculation that the new handsets' displays will be sharper than older models, with 356ppi planned for the 5.5-inch model and 416ppi for the 4.7-inch model.

Both phones will have the same 16:9 aspect ratio as the iPhone 5, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, but will be taller and wider.

A new leak on Weibo provides what appears to be the first legitimate look at the new iPhone, fuelling previous rumours and building anticipation for both handsets ahead of Tuesday's event.

Caroline Preece

Caroline has been writing about technology for more than a decade, switching between consumer smart home news and reviews and in-depth B2B industry coverage. In addition to her work for IT Pro and Cloud Pro, she has contributed to a number of titles including Expert Reviews, TechRadar, The Week and many more. She is currently the smart home editor across Future Publishing's homes titles.

You can get in touch with Caroline via email at caroline.preece@futurenet.com.