The new year has begun and a slew of new smartphones are expected to be released this year.

Rumors have been swirling that for the first time, Apple may launch two handsets in 2014. But don't expect them to release any time soon. Bloomberg reported last month that Apple may release the two models of the iPhone in the third quarter of 2014. Both handsets are set to sport larger displays with "glass curves downward at the edges."

However, a report by Yahoo! Japan states that Apple will be releasing a brand new phablet line in May to compete with the popular Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The phablet may pack a whopping 5.7 inch screen with the powerful A7 processor.

Latest specs rumors surrounding the upcoming iPhone 6 device, dubbed the iPhone Air, point to an ultra thin 6mm body, and a bigger 4.7 or 5 inch screen.

Apple may also be experimenting with curved screen displays after the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Round and LG G Flex smartphones in select markets in 2013. With a bendable screen, the phone will be nearly unbreakable, and customers will not end up with cracked screens if they drop their smartphones.

Rumors that Apple is experimenting with curved screens stemmed from a patent filed in December 2013 by the company for "a curved touch sensor" that covers displays, touch pads and touch mice.

Among the two new handsets Apple is rumored to launch this year is an upgrade of its current iPhone 5S, the best-selling smartphone in the world. The other would be a bigger phablet sized device.

Along with rumors of a curved screen, Apple is also rumored to launch its next flagship phone(s) with a sapphire glass screen. Sapphire glass is already featured in the fingerprint sensor of the iPhone, and is very hardwearing. Stronger than concrete, the glass will be scratch-resistant and not break easily.

The iPhone 6 is expected to release some time in 2014 and is speculated to pack a bigger 4.7 to 5.5 inch display with sapphire glass (or curved screen), Liquidmetal body, 4GB RAM, 64-bit A8 processor, dedicated M7 chip and 128 GB Storage.

The first major electronics event of the year, the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, will kick off January 7 in Las Vegas. But no major phones will be announced at this event. Instead, latest phones are expected to launch at the 2014 Mobile World Congress in February.