Gene Munster

Analyst says Tesla Model 3 launch could be as big as 2007 iPhone introduction

Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst who had been calling for an HD TV set from Apple for years before eventually giving up on that pipe dream, said today that the upcoming release of Tesla's Model 3 sedan would be as big a launch as the 2007 introduction of the original iPhone.

In a blog post on the Loup Ventures website, Munster writes that the combination of the Model 3’s value and technology has the potential to change the world and accelerate the adoption of electric and autonomous vehicles in the next decade.

“We believe we will eventually look back at the launch of the Model 3 and compare it to the iPhone, which proved to be the catalyst for the shift to mobile computing,” he wrote.

The launch of the vehicle is viewed as Tesla's make or break moment because Model 3 is the company's first truly mass-market electric car priced at the sweet spot of $35,000 before federal and state tax incentives.

According to Elon Musk, Tesla is poised to ship about thirty units of the Model 3 sedans on July 28 and ramp up production to 20,000 Model 3 units per month by December of this year.

Chart via Bloomberg

Imagining that Tesla could produce an estimated 2.5 million cars by 2025 may seem hard to believe given it only delivered about 100,000 cars in the past year. But as Munster says, car hardware does not scale as easy as software, but it can scale.

“Looking back at the iPhone in 2007 it was a stretch to envision the company producing 50 million phones a year, but in 2015, the company sold 232 million units,” he wrote. Owning a Model 3 is only thirteen percent more expensive than owning a Toyota Camry over a five-year period, estimated the analyst.

It's important to note that this figure assumes no state or federal tax credits for electric vehicles as the analyst expect those incentives to end before December 2020.

Loup Ventures is a VC fund focused on augmented reality, artificial intelligence and robotics which Munster founded following his exit from investment firm Piper Jaffray in December of last year, putting an end to Munster's 21-year career as Piper's senior Apple analyst.

Here are Gene Munster’s latest musings on Project Titan & Apple VR headset

Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster had been infamously predicting an Apple-branded HDTV set for years before eventually giving up on that dream. Last we heard from him was when he called for an S-upgrade to the Apple Watch in February 2016 (he may have gotten that one right; the timing, not so much).

He's back now with some interesting thoughts (via AppleWorldToday) on Apple's rumored electric vehicle and assumed virtual reality headset hardware.

Analyst Gene “iTV” Munster calls for S-upgrade to Apple Watch this Spring

Apple analyst Gene Munster—the guy who has been predicting a full-on television set with a shiny Apple logo on it for well over five years before admitting he was terribly wrong—is back!

In a note to clients, a copy of which was obtained by Business Insider, the Piper Jaffray analyst is calling for an 'S-upgrade' to the Apple Watch this Spring.

In sticking to its annual upgrade cycle Apple will now make an S-version of the wrist-worn device, reasons Munster. If he's right, that would constitute borrowing a page from the iPhone's book.

As you know, iPhones recycle same design with so-called S-upgrades that focus on hardware advanced every other year. This Spring, Munster posits, the Apple Watch will receive refreshed internals like faster chips, packed inside enclosures unchanged from existing watches.

Gene Munster gives up on Apple television dream

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has become something of a joke in the broader analyst community. Arguably the most vocal proponent of a fully-fledged Apple television set, he's been predicting the imminent arrival of a 50+ inch TV with the shiny Apple logo on it for years now.

He wasn't alone in his predictions. Most recently, noted activist investor Carl Icahn put much faith in the mythical Apple Ultra HD TV set in a yet another letter to Tim Cook yesterday.

But as a new report by The Wall Street Journal alleged that Apple has indeed axed the project after researching it for nearly a decade, Munster was quick to admit that he's been wrong all along.

Gene Munster just won’t give up on Apple TV set, says it’s now two years away

Famed Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is known for his incorrect predictions on Apple's long-awaited television set. He's previously guessed 2012, late-2012, and holiday 2013 as the incorrect launch dates for the new Apple product category. In 2014 he's remained completely silent on the subject, until his latest appearance at the Business Insider conference.

In an interview published on Wednesday, Munster said he expects the Apple television is now two years away and will be launched in 2016. He's mum on specific product features, but didn't mind providing expected sales figures.

Report finds that Siri’s accuracy continues to improve under iOS 7

Gene Munster—yes the iTV guy—is out with a new report today looking at the state of Siri's ability to accurately answer and respond to queries. The Piper Jaffray analyst regularly assesses the accuracy of Apple's digital assistant.

In his latest look, Munster found that Siri has continued to improve with the release of iOS 7, particularly in its ability to properly interpret questions being asked and its overall performance when accessed in noisier situations...

Analyst calls for Apple to release larger iPhone 6 next summer

Gene Munster is out this weekend with an earnings preview for Apple, which is slated to announce its Q4 financials on Monday. The Piper Jaffary analyst sees the company reporting big numbers, and has them at a $640 price target.

But perhaps more interesting in Munster's note is that he says he expects the iPhone 6 to be out next summer—months before the now-usual September refresh. He thinks it'll feature a larger display, and is going to be a “blockbuster.”

Apple may have sold 15M (now old) iPads during the September quarter

Normally, selling 170 million of anything is cause for headlines, but everyone isn't Apple. When CEO Tim Cook said Tuesday the tech giant has sold 170 million iPads to date, analysts forecast sales of fifteen million tablets during the September quarter, at a minimum.

If correct, the predictions would top the fourteen million iPads sold during the same quarter of 2012. For Apple, the expectations could also counter the belief that demand for its tablet computers are slowing...

iPhones and iPads remain the top pick among US teenagers

Despite Samsung's attempt to label the iPhone as past its prime, Apple remains the top pick among US teenagers. More than half of American teens own an iPhone with nearly three quarter of young people choosing an iPad when it comes to tablets.

When it comes to purchasing decisions, popularity of cheaper Android devices have barely moved the needle, if at all. The figures from Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster bode well for Apple and its continued growth among the key consumer demographic now driving technology purchases...