Until now, Apple has never changed the screen size of iPhone, which has always been set to 3.5-inch since the debut of original iPhone in 2007. But to make the next generation iPhone be successful in the market like its predecessors, Apple seriously needs to consider the form factor, especially the screen size of the next generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5, to make it stand against rivals like Nokia Lumia 900, HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3.

According to a post at Wall Street Journal, Apple has ordered bigger screens (at least 4-inch screens) from manufacturers like Sharp Corp., LG Display and Japan Display Inc. The production of iPhone 5 reportedly begins in June, while it will come out in fall, as predicted by analysts.

Apple's upcoming iPhone will feature iOS 6, which is expected to launch at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 2012) being held in mid-June. Reportedly, Apple is ditching Google Maps in the upcoming installment of mobile operating system as the tech giant has developed its own mapping platform. We hope to see an awesome 3D maps service in iPhone 5.

Also, Apple iPhone 5 is going to be leaner. Reportedly, Apple is integrating touch sensors into its TFT LCD display, as compared to separate layers in iPhone 4S. Apple may also kiss "goodbye" to its 30-pin dock connector for a more compact alternative, like micro-dock or microUSB, to save more space inside the device. However, there are no words on metal back in recent reports.

Last week, iMore reported that Apple has not finalized the screen size and design of iPhone 5 yet. But we can expect a larger display, however do not expect more than 4-inches.

The device is expected to debut in October with LTE connectivity in the plans. It will be a surprise to see an iPhone with bigger display. Also, the size of iPad's screen has never changed from 9.7-inches since the debut of original iPad in 2010. However, the recent rumors surfacing online indicate that there is a 7-inch iPad on the way, which is also slated for August/September release.