AppleInsider Staff
When Apple announces its next-generation iPhones next week in San Francisco, the sales pitch for consumers will almost certainly include Force Touch, a new color option, and upgrades for Touch ID and the already class-leading camera system.
The new features likely won't include a sapphire cover lens, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a Thursday morning note to investors. That part is said to have failed durability testing, forcing the so-called iPhone 6s and 6s Plus back to ion-strengthened glass.
Echoing previous rumors, Kuo believes the rear-facing camera will gain a resolution bump to 12 megapixels, while the front-facing shooter will rise to 5 megapixels. There won't be any more space to store those larger photos, however, as capacities will remain at 16, 64, and 128 gigabytes.
Other improvements on tap include Force Touch, a faster and more accurate Touch ID system, and a new rose gold color option to match the Apple Watch.
Kuo believes that Force Touch is the key to driving upgrade sales. If consumers don't respond to the feature, he predicts "flattish..or slightly lower" sales in fiscal 2016 as compared to fiscal 2015.
Apple will announce its new handset lineup during a special event next Wednesday, Sept. 9. AppleInsider will be on hand and will bring live coverage from inside the venue beginning at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
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84 Comments
Force touch is the key to driving upgrade sales? Why?
There is something missing for sure. Force Touch is not a selling point. No one will care about that. Neither is "improved" Touch ID. What, did it not work before? Sure it did. Improved cameras is great, but is also a given with every iPhone update. Just like the lead into WWDC last year, where HEALTH AND FITNESS was smeared all over every article leading up to it, but barely even took 3 minutes of the keynote. There is something much more to these new iPhones that we don't yet know.
Force touch is the key to driving upgrade sales? Why?
Its not. There is clearly a lot missing from this year's projections. You're not going to see Force Touch printed anywhere as a marquee feature.
What's KGI talking about? At least in the US, the 2 year wait is over. I expect anyone who upgrade last year on installment (NEXT, JUMP, etc) will be able to upgrade again next week at no cost. Besides, this is easily the biggest iPhone upgrade (besides new casing) ever: A9 4K 12MP iSight Camera 5MP 1080p Facetime camera with flash New LTE chip (up 300 Mbps) 2G RAM 7000 aluminium casing Force Touch
Pure stupidity.
People will be upgrading from the 4S, 5, and 5S mostly.
You continue to have no idea what you're talking about. Last year began the first big wave of customers using programs like NEXT and EDGE instead of subsidies to purchase their iPhones. All of those people will be able to upgrade this year via trade in with their program....without having to pay through the nose to make it happen. Unlike previous years where upgrading every 12 months would cost you A LOT more than most were willing to pay.
No, you will now begin to see more year over year upgrades than ever before.