On the back of strong seasonal demand, Apple is forecast to ship over 71.5 million iPhones in quarter four, but will see a drop in demand to below 50 million units during the first quarter of 2015, one analyst says.
At its special media event on Thursday, Apple is expected to release a highly-anticipated 27-inch iMac with Retina quality display that will ship before the end of 2014, as well as a next-generation iPad Air that could see limited initial supply, says one well-informed analyst.
With Apple design chief Jony Ive reportedly confident of the so-called "iWatch's" chances when pitted against the famous Swiss watchmakers, a new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple will offer its upcoming wearable — which is unlikely to hit shelves before 2015 — in at least two sizes with 8 gigabytes of internal storage and a variety of color and material options, including gold
Apple's "iPhone 6" will not feature a scratch-resistant sapphire screen cover, but both the 4.7- and 5.5-inch versions will come with new higher-capacity options of 128 gigabytes of storage, a barometric pressure sensor, and a programmable power button, according to one well-connected insider.
At a media event already expected to be packed with the unveiling of two new iPhone models and a so-called "iWatch," the company may also showcase its next full-size iPad Air with Touch ID fingerprint sensor and a new gold color option, according to well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Monday poured cold water on recent rumors that Apple was preparing to migrate to a reversible version of the Lightning charge cable as well as a larger, possibly more powerful iPhone power adapter alongside its next-generation handset.
Apple's rumored 5.5-inch "phablet" iPhone model is said to be facing issues with its new in-cell touchscreen panel, as well as color unevenness on the new "iPhone 6" metal casing, which could see the device's launch pushed back to next year, leaving the smaller 4.7-inch model to debut alone this year, according to one industry insider.
Industry consensus holds that Apple's so-called "iWatch" will see manufacture in September ahead of wide distribution in December, but one well-connected analyst believes mass production is to be pushed back to November, meaning only small quantities will be available at launch.
Apple apparently has big plans for the Apple TV set-top box in 2014, with an entirely new model that will reportedly feature motion controls for easier user input. But customers holding out hope for a full-fledged television set from Apple are likely to be disappointed.
Apple will reportedly introduce new iPad Airs and Retina iPad minis later this year that will feature the company's latest A8 mobile processor and new Touch ID sensor. Meanwhile, prices of older iPads are expected to inch downward while an effort to deliver a larger 12.9-inch entertainment tablet shapes up to drive growth next year.
Apple will release two new iPhones this year, with an all-new redesigned 4.7-inch model and high-resolution "phablet" type 5.5-inch version poised to take the high-end smartphone world by storm this fall.
Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch a new low-cost iMac as soon as this quarter, while a completely redesigned thinner and lighter 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina display is expected to launch before the end of the year.
With Apple expected to be fielding a smartwatch later this year, one analyst reveals new details about the long-awaited device, including biometrics, flexible AMOLED display with sapphire cover lens and NFC, among other features.
Apple is expected to start rolling out new products starting in the second quarter, says one informed analyst, including the much rumored iWatch, redesigned "iPhone 6," a 12-inch MacBook Air and a low-cost iMac.
Apple's all-in-one iMac desktops will receive a refresh this summer, gaining Intel's latest generation Haswell processors in June or July, according to one analyst.
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Mikey Campbell
AppleInsider Staff
Neil Hughes
