Those holding their breath for the still-unconfirmed 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may want to let the air out: Reported production issues surrounding the phablet-sized device could delay its launch until November.

Rumors suggest Cupertino will unveil two new smartphones this fall: a 4.7-inch handset, and its larger sibling. But bottlenecks on the 5.5-inch assembly line mean the phone might not hit shelves until a couple of months later.

As quoted by Apple Insider, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the issues may be related to the new in-cell touch panels, which struggle with touch sensitivity on larger screens.

Kuo also cited concerns over the scratch-resistant sapphire glass display, which he doesn't expect will "easily pass the drop test near term." That same display panel technology was put to the test recently, with knives, keys, and deep pressure applied without any adverse results. Only when someone drove a car over the screen did it break.

And while Kuo predicted the "most conservative scenario," in which Apple holds the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 for a 2015 launch, these delays are unlikely to hamper the expected autumn release of Cupertino's 4.7-inch device.

Apple did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

Of course, as PCMag mobile analyst Sascha Segan warned earlier this year, it's best to take this type of gossip with a grain of salt.

Rumors about iDevice production delays are nothing new. Prior to the launch of the iPad mini with Retina display, there were reports that display shortages would push the device's launch until 2014, or limit its 2013 availability. Instead the device arrived in late October 2013 and wait times were nothing too dramatic.