Apple testing iPhones with large screens: Reports

Apple Inc is reportedly testing iPhones, with large screens, with some designs as large as six inches. The large-screen iPhones would not release at the tech giant's upcoming event in California.

Apple is reported to be particularly interested in 4.8-inch screens after rival Samsung came out with its largest Galaxy Note smartphone with a 5.7-inch screen.

According to Fox News, Apple had struggled in the past to make an iPhone with a larger screen, given the type of display technology used for the iPhone 5 but according to many analysts, a larger-screen iPhone was  not likely to be launched until sometime next year.

Meanwhile, the iPhone maker has undertaken an investigation of a supplier factory in China for alleged labour violations, following a watchdog group claiming workers had been forced to work long hours assembling iPhones.

The company had already sent a "team of experts" to investigate reports about the factory in the Chinese city of Wuxi, run by US-based Jabil Circuit, Apple said today. Jabil, which also sent an audit team to the facility, added that it was "troubled" by the allegations.

China Labor Watch, yesterday released a report, that said workers at the factory were logging over 100 hours per month in overtime for building plastic cases for a budget iPhone device.

According to China Labor Watch, which accused Jabil of worker exploitation, Apple's claims that its suppliers operated a 60-hour work week seemed untrue.

However, Apple said that Jabil had an"excellent track record" of meeting the company's high standards on work conditions, with the facility so far having 92 per cent compliance with Apple's 60-hour work week limit for the year.

According to Apple, an audit completed earlier this year did find that some employees had worked more than six consecutive days without a day of rest, though the factory had been working to better regulate the overtime.

Jabil, in its own statement said it would correct any problems found at the facility, even though many of its employees desired the overtime work.

In an audit last month, Jabil came across a number violations cited in China Labor Watch's report. Jabil said efforts had been undertaken to correct the problems.