Apple to launch 4" iPhone and iPad Air 3 in first half of 2016, analyst says
According to connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is preparing two major iOS device introductions for the first half of 2016 in the much-rumored 4-inch iPhone and a refreshed 9.7-inch iPad Air 3.
In a Sunday note to investors, Kuo said he expects Apple's upcoming 4-inch iPhone to be met with tepid demand, as the device's form factor and hardware are mostly iterative. Apple is revisiting the smaller handset size after shifting R&D efforts to larger-screened iPhone 6 and 6s models.
The rumored "iPhone 5se" will sport a form factor similar to the outgoing iPhone 5s, but with higher-spec hardware like a 12-megapixel camera and adoption of slightly curved iPhone 6s-style "2.5D" cover glass. Compared to current iPhone 6s and 6s Plus handsets, the new 4-inch version is not expected to boast much in the way of hardware innovations, Kuo says.
Less is known about the upcoming iPad Air 3 and "iPhone 7." Today's note is one of the first to predict a first half 2016 launch window for Apple's refreshed 9.7-inch tablet. In 2014, Apple released the A8X-powered iPad Air 2 in October, though minor hardware upgrades, while solid additions, weren't enough to slow steeply declining in sales.
Kuo has little insight on this year's flagship iPhone, tentatively dubbed "iPhone 7," but notes no surprise innovations in the information he has been able to confirm thus far. This suggests Apple is currently working on evolutionary upgrades in A-series SoC technology, camera resolution, battery life and more.
If Apple follows its usual upgrade cycle, this year's iPhone should bring a revamped design. Multiple rumors suggest Apple is looking to ditch iPhone's 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of a Bluetooth or Lightning solution, while less reliable sources have claimed the handset will be waterproof and feature wireless charging.
As for quarterly shipments, Kuo models iPhone sales at 77 million for the three-month period ended in December. The number sits at the midline of Wall Street expectations.
Looking ahead, tame iPhone 6s demand will drive current quarter iPhone shipments of 43 million units, down 44.2 percent quarter over quarter and 29.7 percent from the same time last year. Apple traditionally sees seasonal headwinds coming off strong holiday sales. Kuo believes the dip in iPhone demand is set to correct to between 42 and 45 million units in quarter two when 4-inch iPhone model production ramps up.
In a Sunday note to investors, Kuo said he expects Apple's upcoming 4-inch iPhone to be met with tepid demand, as the device's form factor and hardware are mostly iterative. Apple is revisiting the smaller handset size after shifting R&D efforts to larger-screened iPhone 6 and 6s models.
The rumored "iPhone 5se" will sport a form factor similar to the outgoing iPhone 5s, but with higher-spec hardware like a 12-megapixel camera and adoption of slightly curved iPhone 6s-style "2.5D" cover glass. Compared to current iPhone 6s and 6s Plus handsets, the new 4-inch version is not expected to boast much in the way of hardware innovations, Kuo says.
Less is known about the upcoming iPad Air 3 and "iPhone 7." Today's note is one of the first to predict a first half 2016 launch window for Apple's refreshed 9.7-inch tablet. In 2014, Apple released the A8X-powered iPad Air 2 in October, though minor hardware upgrades, while solid additions, weren't enough to slow steeply declining in sales.
Kuo has little insight on this year's flagship iPhone, tentatively dubbed "iPhone 7," but notes no surprise innovations in the information he has been able to confirm thus far. This suggests Apple is currently working on evolutionary upgrades in A-series SoC technology, camera resolution, battery life and more.
If Apple follows its usual upgrade cycle, this year's iPhone should bring a revamped design. Multiple rumors suggest Apple is looking to ditch iPhone's 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of a Bluetooth or Lightning solution, while less reliable sources have claimed the handset will be waterproof and feature wireless charging.
As for quarterly shipments, Kuo models iPhone sales at 77 million for the three-month period ended in December. The number sits at the midline of Wall Street expectations.
Looking ahead, tame iPhone 6s demand will drive current quarter iPhone shipments of 43 million units, down 44.2 percent quarter over quarter and 29.7 percent from the same time last year. Apple traditionally sees seasonal headwinds coming off strong holiday sales. Kuo believes the dip in iPhone demand is set to correct to between 42 and 45 million units in quarter two when 4-inch iPhone model production ramps up.
Comments
Full-on, full featured, full specced iPhone Mini.
If not, we nuke the entire site from orbit. {it's the only way to be sure}
Unless I missed an announcement about the iPhone 7 somehow....
EDIT: I'm not arguing that 3D Touch and long press are the same thing (they're not) but plenty of idiots do.
The phone will almost certainly be slimmer than the 5S, if using the 6S design. So not a lot of room in there to begin with, much less upgrading it to 6S specs which can't contain the the optically stabilized camera at even 4.7" inches. It will alsmot certainly have the latest antennas, NFC, & Touch ID.
The Pencil support on the Air may actually be a little hard to fit cost-wise, the Pro's display has to be extremely expensive. And yes, it's IGZO.
It makes you wonder who exactly is in charge at Apple and what they are doing. They haven't managed to launch a full slate of products in a given year for many years now. I wonder if it occurs to them to actually just hire more people or work a bit harder instead of just falling behind year after year after year.
No. Any new iPads that don't have pencil support will be poor sellers at best.
The best outlook for iPad sales would be if they managed to get ForceTouch and pencil support not only in the iPad Air 3, but in the iPad mini 4. It looks like they will be neglecting the iPad mini again by this report, but if the iPad Air 3 doesn't have it, all we will be hearing is reviews on why it didn't, or why anyone would buy the new iPad since it's only slightly different from the current one.
Apple really needs to move forward here and they will look stupid if they don't. An iPad Air 3 that's microscopically smaller, thinner or with slightly better cameras or slightly better speed isn't going to cut it. Remember that the iPad Air 2 is hardly any different from the iPad Air 1 already. More of the same is not an option here.
The mini got updated last fall so it's not been neglected. They can't really make the Air much thinner (if at all) so I don't think we'll see a new Air until they bring the Pencil or 3D Touch to it. There were rumors out there that Apple was having trouble implanting 3D Touch on larger displays so that could be an engineering challenge. Plus getting 3D Touch and the Pencil to work together.