Neil Hughes
Apple has apparently placed a massive amount of orders for its next-generation iPhone, prompting RBC Capital Markets to notify investors on Monday that they see great upside potential for the anticipated "iPhone 6" over the coming quarters.
While analyst Amit Daryanani currently forecasts sales of 56 million iPhones in the December quarter, he said in a note to investors, obtained by AppleInsider, that a more bullish scenario sees the company possibly shipping more than 70 million units in a three-month span.
According to Daryanani, supply chain data suggests Apple is asking its suppliers to produce as many as 80 million "iPhone 6" units before the end of the year in two form factors of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. In comparison, last year Apple had its supply chain ramp up for 60 million units.
Now Daryanani says it's possible that Apple could sell 10 million "iPhone 6" units on the device's launch weekend, reaching 15 million total units before the end of the September quarter. Apple is expected to unveil its next iPhone on Sept. 9, and if the company follows its traditional launch schedule, the handset would become available on Friday., Sept. 19.
That sales momentum would carry into the December quarter, where Daryanani sees upside potential for around 60 million iPhone units. That would place Apple at sales of 75 million "iPhone 6" units before the end of 2014.
To put the numbers in perspective, Apple's biggest quarter ever came last December, when the company sold a blockbuster 51 million total iPhones. The company does not break down sales of handsets based on specific models.
But Daryanani expects a "notable uptick" from last year, as Apple is expected to cater to new users with its larger iPhone displays. The company's current 4-inch iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c represent some of the smallest handsets on the market, while Android-powered competitors have been trending toward larger displays.
RBC Capital Markets has maintained its "outperform" rating for AAPL stock along with its $110 price target.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
52 Comments
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When the device is released it will be analyzed to death, dissected, inspected, torn apart, and finally declared ho-hum by the tech illuminati. The usual suspects will declare it insufficient, disappointing, falling behind, not innovative. Apple will be doomed once again.
Then, miraculously, Apple will actually sell those 75 millions units they ordered manufactured and the illuminati will be left scratching their heads in befuddlement once again, followed by the now required meme of “Only stupid people buy overpriced Apple junk!”
75 million in four months?
Why is this person not fired? I want him out on the street, his paper box full of possessions thrown out the door after him. I want to see him curled up on the corner with a cardboard sign “Will short stock for food”.
Yet still some here dont believe.
For those of you just tuning in to AI for the first time and don’t know he’s joking, remember that in 2011, the whole world knew Apple was releasing the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 simultaneously.
I dont think anyone can come out with reliable predictions until we see what the phone actually is. How many models? How will they price the 5c?
It's a nice number for a fictitious phone. 1. Nothing has been announced 2. We know nothing about it 3. Price? 4. Rollout?