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The rumored large iPad likely won't be available until early next year as suppliers must worry about producing enough iPhone 6 Plus units.

Apple went larger with the iPhone 6 (left) and iPhone 6 Plus. So when will the iPad finally get supersized? Apple

The iPhone 6 Plus, boasting a 5.5-inch screen, is pushing back any chance for Apple to launch a larger-screen iPad this year, according to a new report.

Apple has plans to build a larger iPad featuring a 12.9-inch screen, but won't get going on that until early next year so its suppliers can focus on increasing output on the iPhone 6 Plus, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's supply chain efforts. Those sources told the Journal that Apple is facing major demand for the iPhone 6 Plus and that output so far has proven "unsatisfactory" on the larger device.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The new iPhone models debuted in September. The iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7-inch screen, while the iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch display. It's possible in some cases to find an iPhone 6 Plus on store shelves, but it's exceedingly more difficult than getting the smaller phone. As of this writing, Apple's online store lists the iPhone 6 Plus lead time as three to four weeks. The iPhone 6 will ship in as little as a week.

Rumors have been swirling for months that Apple is planning to boost the size of its iPads. The iPad Mini has a 7.9-inch screen size, which likely won't change, but the iPad Air features the same 9.7-inch screen Apple has offered since the original iPad's inception in 2010. As an increasing number of devices from other tablet makers hit store shelves featuring larger screens, the onus is on Apple to respond with a larger tablet of its own. The 12.9-inch model could be just that.

According to the Journal's sources, the larger iPad was set to go into mass production in early December. The stronger demand and lower-than-expected production on the iPhone 6 Plus, however, has pushed that timetable back at least a couple of months, though the sources didn't say exactly when mass production might begin.

Apple is planning to hold a press event next week, likely announcing new iPads. It's unclear whether the company is going to announce the larger iPad at that event.

Don Reisinger Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications. See full bio

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The Galaxy S5 may still be the top end of Samsung's mobile line, even after the Alpha's launch. Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Samsung's long-rumored Galaxy Alpha may finally make the leap from rumor to reality.

The Galaxy Alpha smartphone will launch Wednesday, according to Korean media reports that cite information from Samsung.

Rumors have been swirling for months over what the Galaxy Alpha might deliver, but the latest reports suggest that it will feature Samsung's new Exynos octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM. It's also believed that the device may come with 32GB of internal storage and run on Android 4.4 KitKat. Most notably, the Galaxy Alpha is expected to launch with a metal body, answering criticism that Samsung's entire line of smartphones have plastic bodies, in contrast to Apple's iPhone.

The Galaxy Alpha is one of two highly anticipated Samsung devices expected to launch in the coming months. The other is Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 smartphone/tablet, expected ahead of the IFA trade show in Germany in early September. The two devices could help Samsung reverse a downward slide seen last quarter when sales of the flagship Galaxy S5 were lower than anticipated and as its low-end smartphones were under fire by cheaper international competitors.

CNET has contacted Samsung. We will update this story when we have more information.

It's unclear where the Galaxy Alpha will sit in relation to the rest of Samsung's products. A metal construction implies a higher-end device, but the rumored specifications puts the smartphone at slightly below its Galaxy S5 flagship and presumably lower than the Note 4. The Alpha may end up appealing to mid-range consumers looking for higher quality materials.

Samsung has been known to experiment with different materials and designs, as seen in the curved Galaxy Round smartphone unveiled last year.

The company, meanwhile, has lost its crown as the top mobile maker in two crucial markets -- India and China -- in the last quarter. The company did, however, keep its crown as the top smartphone maker in the US and remains the top overall smartphone maker in the world.

Samsung will soon be contending with the next iPhone. Reports peg the unveiling on September 9, although Apple hasn't confirmed the date.

(Via Android Headlines)

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