The iPhone 6 release date this 2014 is reportedly on September 19 but the awaited event could happen even earlier as U.S. giant retailer Walmart starts selling the 2013 Apple flagship, the iPhone 5S, for only $100.

The price cut, according to Engadget, will be the iPhone 5S sticker price until its successor hits the market a few months from now. Walmart's discount move is permanent, added the same report, which for many Apple watchers point to a number of immediate possibilities.

And one of them is the likelihood that Apple is already preparing for the iPhone 6 arrival this year. As in previous years, gadget deals that involve significant price cuts, especially for the pricey hero phones, normally signal that a refresh is on the way and real soon.

To make room for new stocks, vendors usually turn aggressive on their marketing and pricing attack. The rationale is to keep the current models attractive, lure in as many buys as possible and clear inventories.

The bottom line for all these activities, market experts would say, is - the old is coming to pass to make way for the new one.

And it could be that a $100 iPhone 5S in 16GB configuration and 2-year service contract is a tempting deal given that when the device debuted in late 2013 the required cash setback is $200 or even more for the unlocked units that can go as high as $700 apiece in some markets.

Walmart is obviously expecting to clear loads of the Apple flagship with the latest price cutback that also pushed down the iPhone 5C tag price to a mere $30, also with lock-in period.

The retailer, according to Apple Insider, is likely "looking to get a leg up on competitors before Apple announces its next-generation line up later this year."

Now that further backs the assumption that the iPhone 6 would touch down a bit ahead of the planned Sept 19 outing.

But per Business Insider, it might be wiser to wait for the next iPhone unboxing, which will come in two variants - 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch - and likely will retain the introductory price of $200 for the basic model.

Note, however, that according to numerous analysts, the phablet-size iPhone 6 will hit the shelves bearing a premium of $100 or a $300 sticker price per unit.

The price hike though is justified as the two 2014 iPhones are said to pump up the game with a fresh form-factor, larger display panel, a powerhouse 64-bit A8 chips that is mighty and speedy, up to 128GB of storage space with the basic starting at 32GB, incredible camera upgrades and the killer featured that are hard-coded with iOS 8.

And as mentioned above, the wait for the iPhone 6 release date this 2014 may not be too long, likely within the first two weeks of September - that is if Apple will decide to roll out earlier than the 19th of the month.