In line with a report from Jefferies' Peter Misek earlier this year, Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt issued a claim this morning that Apple will charge a $100 premium for the larger of two iPhone 6 models expected to launch this fall.
In a research note to investors, McCourt said he is confident Apple will charge a $100 more for the 5.5-inch version of its new smartphone, citing higher-priced components and more complex production processes as reasons for the bump...
Cantor Fitzgerald's Brian White reports that several components for the so-called iWatch are going into mass production this month. The analyst believes that Apple is planning to unveil the long-rumored smartwatch in September, perhaps alongside the iPhone 6.
White bases his report on his recent tour of Computex, Asia's largest technology show, where wearables were by far the most talked-about products. There, sources from supply chain companies told him iWatch component production would soon begin ramping up...
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty released an interesting chart highlighting the need for an Apple-branded on-demand music streaming product. Currently, the company only sells individual songs or whole albums on iTunes.
The analyst worryingly writes in a note to clients issued Wednesday that iTunes sales are down 24 percent year-on-year. Moreover, Apple's 800 million iTunes users are spending an average of $3.29 on iTunes.
For the sake of clarity, the figure represents combined per-user purchases of music, movies, iOS and Mac apps and more. That being said, Apple is clearly taking a heat due to its refusal to introduce a subscription music service because iTunes users seem to spending more on apps and less on music nowadays...
Back in April, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo gave us a roadmap of all the products Apple has in the pipeline for 2014 and now he's back with an analysis of Apple's plans for the Touch ID sensor.
His conjecture is that every new iPhone and iPad model shipping in 2014 will be outfitted with an improved Touch ID fingerprint reader.
Kuo has become one of the most reputable Apple analyst analysts out there who churns out some of the most reliable predictions about Apple's future product plans so it's worth paying attention to what he has to say...
In announcing financial results for the March 2014 quarter, Apple surprised analysts by reporting basically flat iPad growth.
Compared to the same quarter in 2013, sales of the Apple tablet hit the 16.35 million unit mark versus analyst consensus of 19.7 million units. More worryingly, it's a 16 percent annual drop from the 19.5 million iPads moved in the year-ago quarter.
Slowing growth is the new normal rather than an anomaly because the tablet market as a whole has seen little innovation lately, cautions Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty...
As we told you before, supposed case leaks indicate that Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 could be as thin as the current-generation iPod touch, its slim body purportedly measuring between 6.5mm and 7.0mm (the iPhone 5s is 7.6mm thick).
But Apple's desire to create an ultra-thin phone might also result in an unsightly camera lens protrusion on the back, according to purported production images.
The exposed camera design is said to be the result of the larger components needed for a new optical image stabilization feature. Apple's engineers are faced with a dilemma: create an ultra-thin device that features optical image stabilization and has the annoying protrusion or expand the device slightly to 7.5mm to get rid of the protruded module on the back.
But there's allegedly a third option: tap the speedy A8 processor and the power of software to implement an electronic rather than optical image stabilization. This would allow Apple to realize the thin appearance of the device while doing away with the rumored bulge on the back...
Rounding out our coverage of Ming-Chi Kuo's lengthy report on 2014 Apple products last night, we have the iPad. We've already discussed the analyst's predictions for the iWatch and iPhone, and now it's time to take a look at his prophecies for Apple's next-gen tablets.
According to Kuo, the Cupertino company is planning on launching a second generation iPad Air this year alongside a new Retina iPad mini. He says that both slates will feature new A8 processors, and will finally receive Home buttons outfitted with Touch ID technology...
Last night, KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo sent out a monster research note to investors with a timeline of when he thinks Apple will release their new products this year. He also offered details on each product, which he's learned from his supply chain connections and other sources.
We've already covered Kuo's iWatch predictions, which called for a "fashionable" smartwatch with advanced features like biometric sensors and wireless charging, and now it's time to look at his iPhone forecasts. The analyst sees two Apple-branded smartphones launching this year...
Since we first began seeing 'iWatch' rumors back in early 2013, I've been wondering what the smartwatch will look like. Will it look like a traditional watch, similar to those from Samsung and Motorola? Or will it look more like a fitness band, like Nike's FuelBand? What kind of features will it have?
Admittedly, there's been no shortage of reports on the so-called iWatch, but a new research note from KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo offers perhaps the most comprehensive look at the device we've seen. The analyst says the watch will come in two sizes, feature wireless charging, and will be "fashionable."
Apple is preparing to release a bevy of new products this year, according to a new research note from KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo. The highly regarded analyst has laid out a timeline of all the products Apple is rumored to launch in 2014, beginning in Q2 and going all the way through December.
Kuo sees Apple starting with an iMac refresh in late Q2, followed by upgrades to the iPad Air and iPad mini. He then sees the company introducing a new 4.7-inch iPhone and the oft-rumored iWatch in Q3, and closing out the year with a refreshed Apple TV, 5.5-inch iPhone and a 12" MacBook...
We don't really know anything about Apple's plans for the next-gen iPhone, but the consensus seems to be that it will feature a larger display. As Samsung and other rivals continue to gain marketshare with their 5-inch+ handsets, it's believed that Apple cannot continue to avoid the so-called 'phablet' space.
And analysts couldn't be happier. Why? Well just look at this new survey data published by Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt. According to the data, one-third of American iPhone owners would be willing to pay an extra $100 for Apple's next smartphone if it featured a larger display than its predecessor...
According to a forum post made by a reputable user on the Chinese website WeiPhone, Apple could release a new 12-inch MacBook in the near future. The slim notebook is expected to be released without a fan, and will feature a redesigned trackpad and Retina display. The all-new trackpad will lack a mechanical button for tactile clicking, leaving multi-touch gestures as the sole method of input.
This is the same user that leaked the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display in the past, making this rumor slightly more credible. It also helps that well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo already predicted last October that Apple will be launching a 12-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display at some point this year. The notebook will combine portability and productivity into one…