In what could come as a big disappointment for Apple fans, new media reports indicate that the release of the highly-anticipated iPhone 7 is very likely to be delayed by at least a year, as the company could launch two new phones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, in 2015.

Following the release of the iPhone 6 towards the end of 2014, Apple was widely expected to follow up with the launch of the next generation iPhone 7 about 12 months later. The company was expected to update both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and release the iPhone 7 in September this year, by which time the iPhone 6 would complete the one-year-cycle.

However, new media reports suggest that Apple plans to reduce its smartphone update cycle by half this year, which means it could launch two new phones in 2015. According to reports, the company plans to first release the iPhone 6s and possibly the iPhone 6S Plus with a bigger screen and a pre-installed Apple SIM (universal SIM card). This means that the launch of the iPhone 7 launch could be pushed forward to the next year.

Other rumors indicate that Apple will launch three handsets in September, the iPhone 6s, the iPhone 6S Plus with a bigger screen and a mini 4-inch version. This again means that the brand new iPhone 7 could come out in 2016.

Rumors about the specifications of the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6S Plus and the new iPhone 7 are also doing the rounds in the market. The iPhone 6s is expected to retain the current 4.7 and 5.5-inch panels in the iPhone 6 and is unlikely to see any significant hardware improvements. The new iPhone 6s is likely to be powered by a brand new A9 processor, 4 GB RAM, and will include the Force Touch feature that detects finger movement and the difference in force between a hard and soft tap.

The iPhone 6s is rumored to get the new iOS 9 operating system, which is expected to be unveiled at Apple's WWDC Conference in June this year, just in time to be added ahead of the new iPhone's expected September release.

Meanwhile, it is rumored that the iPhone 7 will be powered by an A9 chip with 2GB RAM, accompanied by features like sapphire crystal glass, chassis made of liquid metal, a 14MP rear camera and 4MP front shooter. Stay tuned for the latest news and developments on the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6S Plus and the new iPhone 7.