Piper on mid-June 3G iPhone; 1 in 4 waiting for new model; more

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Users should expect only modest improvements in a 3G iPhone but a quick launch, according to a new Piper Jaffray research note. Nonetheless, a study says a quarter of iPhone buyers may be waiting on that upgrade. Also, Apple will open a new Florida store this week; a new iPod nano fix is ready; and the US Department of Defense is eyeing Apple's takeover of PA Semi.



Piper: 3G iPhone, software likely conservative



Apple is likely to release an iPhone capable of 3G wireless access earlier than it did the original model last year, but also won't reinvent the product at the same time, says to a new report from financial analysts at Piper Jaffray.



Piper senior analyst Gene Munster and his team estimate that the Apple cellphone will be available in mid-June but that the phone's design will be all but identical save for a thicker casing to fit the bulky 3G chipset and cosmetic changes to freshen its appearance. Aside from boosting the manufacturing cost of the phone from between $12 to $18 more, most of the true revisions will occur next year, the researcher predicts.



"We expect more dramatic changes with the expansion of theÂ*iPhone family to multiple models and price points by [January]," he explains.



Munster also estimates that the version 2.0 iPhone software also won't bring a substantially different experience beyond the officially announced third-party apps and Exchange support. Some Wi-Fi only features of today, such as iTunes Store purchases, could be enabled for use over 3G networks, the analyst writes.



He also draws attention to the gap between a mid-June phone release and Apple's promised late-June 2.0 software upgrade, suggesting that Apple may take pre-orders for 3G iPhones after company chief Steve Jobs' WWDC keynote and ship the units when their software is ready. Apple may nevertheless be keen for an early launch, Munster cautions.



"A mid-June shipment... would enable Apple to sell an initial surge of 3G models atÂ*the end of the June quarter," he says.



Study: 25 percent of buyers waiting for new iPhone



Information freshly culled from a March study of phone buyers by ChangeWave Research suggests that exactly one quarter of all potential iPhone shoppers are delaying purchases to get the next-generation iPhone.



Of the roughly 3,600 respondents to the survey, 14 percent are waiting for any significant revision to the iPhone before they purchase the device, while another 11 percent are specifically holding out for 3G data -- a wish that may be fulfilled in less than three weeks.



"Assuming Apple's next iPhone is 3G-compatible, it's good news for Apple," ChangeWave research head Paul Carton says. "That is the key issue faced by Apple."



Previous results from the company point to current iPhone owners complaining most about slow EDGE speeds, which hamper the touchscreen device's Internet access outside of Wi-Fi range.



In contrast, cost and third-party app support have been secondary problems for Apple. Increases in complaints about cost from 21 to 24 percent between October and March are more likely to relate to worries about the US economy than renewed unhappiness with the iPhone's price, which peaked in July 2007 while Apple continued to sell the iPhone for at least $499.



Apple to open new Florida store



Apple on Tuesday announced a new, considerably lower-key retail store opening than for its Boston store last week.



Apple Store Brandon in Brandon, Florida will open its doors on Saturday the 24th at 10AM Eastern, located inside the Brandon Town Center Mall.



The outlet is Apple's 13th in the southern US state.



Apple releases iPod nano 1.1.2 update



In addition to its retail plans, Apple has also launched its 1.1.2 update for third-generation iPod nanos.



Apple in customary fashion provides few details on the update, saying that it only applies "bug fixes" to the flash-based music player.



The firmware fix is available solely through iTunes.



DoD scrutinizes Apple's PA Semi buyout



Officials at the US Department of Defense are investigating Apple's $278 million PA Semi bid to ensure it doesn't harm the progress of important military contracts.



A number of the chip designer's partners have presented concerns to the government branch that Apple's planned gradual phaseout of support for PA Semi's existing chips will cut short the supply needed for important contracts, concerns which are equalled by the new government response.



"The 1682 [chip from PA Semi] is a very important and unique component required to meet performance requirements on a wide variety of defense applications," says an investigator for the DoD's Deputy Under Secretary.



The Department hasn't disclosed its options but could potentially block the deal without assurances that support will continue for its equipment.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    wonderkidwonderkid Posts: 28member
    1. Auto focus camera with Nokia N95 level video recording quality (to reduce gadget count)

    2. Stereo Bluetooth

    3. FM Radio

    4. Larger on screen QWERTY keyboard that pops up in more situations

    5. iPod touch thickness casing. These comments about 3G chipsets and battery life are wrong! The Sony Ericsson W890 and other 3G phones have long battery life and are extremely compact. If Apple could pull off the original iPod Nano, they can create a slim 3G phone a year after the original.



    If not, Apple will eventually lose out to Android that has many manufactuters behind it so the price to innovation ratio will be better than the iPhone long term.



    Further, the UK market demands these features.



    It MUST be thinner!
  • Reply 2 of 40
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Maybe apple could sell the IP for the legacy chips to another company, like

    Intel sold Xscale to Marvell?????
  • Reply 3 of 40
    noirdesirnoirdesir Posts: 1,027member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wonderkid View Post


    1. Auto focus camera with Nokia N95 level video recording quality (to reduce gadget count)



    The camera should be improved, just for the sake of saying that it has improved.

    Quote:

    2. Stereo Bluetooth



    If somebody finally ends the mess that iPhone headphone cables present every time I pull the iPod out of my pocket, I'd be very grateful.

    Quote:

    3. FM Radio



    Webradio via Realplayer would do perfectly fine for me (and I guess for almost everybody else if the phone network can hold up to it).

    Quote:

    5. iPod touch thickness casing.



    I have to say the iPod touch looks really cool. But I doubt that the iPhone can be made as thin, the additional radios and battery power has to be fit somewhere. Except when they reach the point that they sell the Touch with air inside because they cannot make it thinner for structural reasons.

    Quote:



    It MUST be thinner!



  • Reply 4 of 40
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wonderkid View Post


    1. Auto focus camera with Nokia N95 level video recording quality (to reduce gadget count)

    2. Stereo Bluetooth

    3. FM Radio

    4. Larger on screen QWERTY keyboard that pops up in more situations

    5. iPod touch thickness casing. These comments about 3G chipsets and battery life are wrong! The Sony Ericsson W890 and other 3G phones have long battery life and are extremely compact. If Apple could pull off the original iPod Nano, they can create a slim 3G phone a year after the original.



    If not, Apple will eventually lose out to Android that has many manufactuters behind it so the price to innovation ratio will be better than the iPhone long term.



    Further, the UK market demands these features.



    It MUST be thinner!



    Actually, my guess is that if the iPhone 3G met none of your features that Apple would still sell every one they could produce as fast as they could ship it. Especially FM Radio! Get real-- the 80's are calling and want their feature set back. What I would really like is it to stream internet radio over the phone network-- now THAT would be a killer app that would probably cut XM/Sirius' stock in half. And who knows, maybe the SDK is flexible enough to allow someone to do it anyway.
  • Reply 5 of 40
    merdheadmerdhead Posts: 587member
    The anal-ist is wrong. It will be thinner and it'll have GPS, maybe a second camera, and a whole bunch of software updates to get it up to speed with the rest of the 3G phone world.
  • Reply 6 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:

    25 percent of buyers waiting for new iPhone



    He pulled that figure out of his a**

    Quote:

    3,600 respondents to the survey



    Get real, that's hardly enough, and it was likely based in one location. I'd say a good 70% of potential European customers are waiting for the iPhone to be 3G. Most look at Edge and chuckle.
  • Reply 7 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by noirdesir View Post


    The camera should be improved, just for the sake of saying that it has improved.



    With customers like you they don't have to do much to see their products.
  • Reply 8 of 40
    macvictamacvicta Posts: 346member
    I'd guess that the 3G iPhone remains at 16gb. The iPod touch gets a bump to 64gb Sept-Oct. and the purported iPhone upgrades in January include a 32gb model. Sound about right?



    If so I think I'll hold onto my iPhone and savior those new third party applications. I'll put the money I have saved towards a MacBook and wait to upgrade my iPhone until I can get a 32gb model.
  • Reply 9 of 40
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    He pulled that figure out of his a**



    Get real, that's hardly enough, and it was likely based in one location. I'd say a good 70% of potential European customers are waiting for the iPhone to be 3G. Most look at Edge and chuckle.



    I would say you pulled your number out of your @$$, Ireland.
  • Reply 10 of 40
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    The 1.1.2 Nano software update has been out for a few weeks. Unfortunately it does not fix the problem a few of us are having in which calendars and contacts are not syncing properly. This is staring to be really annoying, I've had my Nano for five months and it can't do what my old black and white iPod could do, i.e. sync calendars and contacts.
  • Reply 11 of 40
    kenaustuskenaustus Posts: 924member
    I'm still waiting to see what developers come out with over the rest of the year before buying. From Day One the inclusion of OS X has indicated a situation where the iPhone "could" be far more than we think of it today. Based on what developers deliver I could be looking at a 16 gig iPhone, but 32 gigs has always looked more in tune with where the iPhone could go.



    Additional features on the iPhone itself? Upgrading the camera to 4 mp minimum would be important for me and a lot of others. An iSight camera on the front for iChat - especially if Apple delivers iChat for Windows. Sounds odd until you remember how iTunes for Windows kicked up iPod sales. Even if iChat for Windows requires at least one end be a Mac or iPhone or touch. These two features may seem odd to some, but I believe they would drive sales significantly.



    It's really up to Steve J to deliver something more than just 3G and I think he will.
  • Reply 12 of 40
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wonderkid View Post


    If not, Apple will eventually lose out to Android that has many manufactuters behind it so the price to innovation ratio will be better than the iPhone long term.



    Actually, as I understand it, Android is NOT, in practice, one single unified platform: software made for one Android device won't run on another--not if the app is tailored to truly work WELL on the different devices, with their different interfaces, different screen sizes, etc.



    In other words, Android developers face a tough dilemma:



    * Make an app that is easy to use and efficient on ONE flavor of Android and takes good advantage of ONE kind of device, but doesn't run on others.



    * Or make an app that is universal... but doesn't take good advantage of the specific features and interface of any one device--in other words, it detracts from the experience.



    Imagine, for instance, an app made to run on both a touchscreen, big-screen iPhone, and on a little screen with physical buttons and no touch. It's not going to give a great experience on both. Similarly, one Android device will neither look nor work like another--and so the apps should not be identical either.



    So when we say Android has many manufacturers behind it, that's true in a sense... but they're not all behind the same thing. They don't compete together against the iPhone so much as they compete separately.



    Android does theoretically give each of them a nice starting point to work from. Then again, Apple's got a pretty nice point to work from too: a complete, proven mobile OS X



    Meanwhile, Apple has tons of developers beating down their door with the iPhone SDK--so it's not just Apple behind the iPhone platform.



    I suspect that the innovation measurement may not favor Android after all...
  • Reply 13 of 40
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    CHEAPER, CHEAPER, CHEAPER!



    Thats what consumers want!



    I bought an iPhone from O2 when they were chucking them out at £169 (I got a further £100 back from our connection fee bonus )



    I already have 2 3G phones and I don't use any of the 3G features. I only used them for email on the go (no benefit from 3G).



    The camera could be better but its good enough for emailing images to friends etc or uploading to my .Mac account.



    I would rather have GPS built in rather than 3G as it would actually be a function that is useful.



    If the new handset has GPS I will probably get one if the price is right, otherwise I will hold off till the price drops again.
  • Reply 14 of 40
    parkyparky Posts: 383member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by razorpit View Post


    The 1.1.2 Nano software update has been out for a few weeks. Unfortunately it does not fix the problem a few of us are having in which calendars and contacts are not syncing properly. This is staring to be really annoying, I've had my Nano for five months and it can't do what my old black and white iPod could do, i.e. sync calendars and contacts.



    I have to say that I have had no issues with syncing Calendars or Contacts to my iPod nano. I have a Red iPod nano 8GB and sync to an iMac running 10.5.2
  • Reply 15 of 40
    wonderkidwonderkid Posts: 28member
    ...not that fake GPS, like some other phones. Remember, Apple may have partnered up with Steve Woz's Wheels of Zeus, that were working on some GPS based services.



    (Use the Google!)



    Wonderkid out



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wonderkid View Post


    1. Auto focus camera with Nokia N95 level video recording quality (to reduce gadget count)

    2. Stereo Bluetooth

    3. FM Radio

    4. Larger on screen QWERTY keyboard that pops up in more situations

    5. iPod touch thickness casing. These comments about 3G chipsets and battery life are wrong! The Sony Ericsson W890 and other 3G phones have long battery life and are extremely compact. If Apple could pull off the original iPod Nano, they can create a slim 3G phone a year after the original.



    If not, Apple will eventually lose out to Android that has many manufactuters behind it so the price to innovation ratio will be better than the iPhone long term.



    Further, the UK market demands these features.



    It MUST be thinner!



  • Reply 16 of 40
    wilcowilco Posts: 985member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    He pulled that figure out of his a**



    Get real, that's hardly enough, and it was likely based in one location. I'd say a good 70% of potential European customers are waiting for the iPhone to be 3G. Most look at Edge and chuckle.



    Yes, because a survey of 3,600 people is less accurate than the opinion of some anonymous internet poster making up percentages.
  • Reply 17 of 40
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    http://www.informationweek.com/blog/...one_launc.html



    http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9948326-7.html



    google news, gizmodo says v2 iphone comes june 9th, but states that the fcc hasn't "approved" it. hasn't this forum said that the fcc can keep the approval process "restricted" announcement? so it may have been requested by apple to hold any public notice till june 9th?? or maybe it goes to non-us carriers first .



    when piper says modest improvement--that sounds like they are preparing us for disappointment...modest means what exactly...the feature set isn't known to anyone right?



    if apple just makes it 3g without anything else that would really curb appeal...forcing me to wait till fall and early Christmas buying season. i would think that apple want's to "shock and awe" people to pick up the buying speed since low inventories for 6 weeks hurts revenue. and look at the effort to bring many many more countries and carriers to market.



    modest stinks
  • Reply 18 of 40
    hutchohutcho Posts: 132member
    Apple stocks have soared in the last couple of months. If this phone comes out and the only change is that it's 3G, then they're going to drop again and hard. People are expected a real revision here.
  • Reply 19 of 40
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hutcho View Post


    Apple stocks have soared in the last couple of months. If this phone comes out and the only change is that it's 3G, then they're going to drop again and hard. People are expected a real revision here.



    You must be new here... AAPL will drop no matter what they announce. The rumors will always go nuts and the reality will always be met with Paul Thurott and Rob Enderle hopping on their forums and discussing why Apple will fail.
  • Reply 20 of 40
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NOFEER View Post


    google news, gizmodo says v2 iphone comes june 9th, but states that the fcc hasn't "approved" it. hasn't this forum said that the fcc can keep the approval process "restricted" announcement? so it may have been requested by apple to hold any public notice till june 9th?? or maybe it goes to non-us carriers first .



    The approval of a product is apparently the only part that is public. Everything from the independent certified lab testing, the FCC submission and review are all private. What we don't know?though I am assuming at this point?is that a company can request that the FCC not public submit the approval until they are ready. This could mean that Apple has the FCC number available to them but can't sell in the States until the FCC publicly announces said approval. Either way, we'll see shortly and then can use the dates on the FCC website to ascertain more information.



    Quote:

    when piper says modest improvement--that sounds like they are preparing us for disappointment...modest means what exactly...the feature set isn't known to anyone right?



    They don't know anything so they are using non-specific terms. Don't read much into that.



    Quote:

    if apple just makes it 3g without anything else that would really curb appeal...forcing me to wait till fall and early Christmas buying season.



    That is your choice, but why? Nothing will be added by then. The price probably won't lower. You will just be without a device that you seemingly want for 6 months. Don't forget all the apps that are coming. The iPhone SDK is the true killer app.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hutcho View Post


    Apple stocks have soared in the last couple of months. If this phone comes out and the only change is that it's 3G, then they're going to drop again and hard. People are expected a real revision here.



    The current stock price is what it was at Xmas. You can consider this a correction from the previous market stumble earlier in the year. While I agree that some will cry foul if the HW aesthetics do not change I think the majority here will see the 20+ new countries, v2.0 software capabilities, and the 3G radio as much more fulfilling than a new look.



    Personally, I hope the design stays the same for the next year so they can sell a new design a year after 3G debuts to stoke the fire of improving sales. The only change I want to see is a 3G radio, better integrated circuits, larger battery and at lest a 50% higher resolution screen. I'll take a thicker device for the battery an d a plastic back for better radio support too. But I may not get my way as a 3G radio may require too much to be changed up this time around.
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