Apple expected to debut iPad mini after September iPhone launch
Apple will release a slightly tweaked version of its existing iPad alongside a much-rumored 7-inch model after the sixth-generation iPhone launches in early September, says KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a note to investors shared with AppleInsider on Tuesday, Kuo said Apple is set to debut a next-generation iPhone in early September and will follow up with a smaller 7-inch iPad model shortly after.
Kuo notes that iPhone unit shipments shouldn't see a massive bump during the launch quarter, however, as limited component availability, a short on-sale time and a backlog of consumers holding out for the new handset will result in only a slight sales increase.
"iPhone 5 to debut in September. But due to in-cell touch panel and casing yield rate limits, ability to offset older models' shipments decrease will be moderate," Kuo writes as one of his bullet points for the upcoming second half of 2012.
Trailing the new iPhone's launch will be a rumored smaller iPad model, also seeing a likely announcement in September following a manufacturing ramp-up in August. While initial sales of the as-yet-unannounced device will be somewhat modest, Kuo sees an impressively strong performance in the holiday quarter and estimates sales of over 13 million units. If correct, the sales numbers would put the so-called "iPad mini" out in front of its bigger brother.
The iPad mini estimates are in line with recent reports that claim Apple's Chinese manufacturing partner Foxconn is already hiring extra staff in a build-up to mass production next month.
Adding to earlier reports which claimed Apple may be tweaking the internals of the third-generation iPad, Kuo's sources say the changes won't be aesthetic and are meant to cut component costs and improve thermal performance. The modified third-generation iPad is expected to hit shelves in October.
While third quarter sales may be soft for the Cupertino-based company, Kuo sees huge gains going into quarter four thanks in large part to the introduction of new iPad and iPhone models. He pegs Apple's handset sales to hit 55 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and iPad product line sales closing in on 24 million during the same period.
Also on the docket for this fall is a rumored redesign for Apple's iPod touch and iPod nano media players. At this point details are scarce, though Kuo claims the new devices will feature technology from both the sixth-generation iPhone like a larger screen as well as components from existing iOS products like the A5 processor found in the iPhone 4S.
In a note to investors shared with AppleInsider on Tuesday, Kuo said Apple is set to debut a next-generation iPhone in early September and will follow up with a smaller 7-inch iPad model shortly after.
Kuo notes that iPhone unit shipments shouldn't see a massive bump during the launch quarter, however, as limited component availability, a short on-sale time and a backlog of consumers holding out for the new handset will result in only a slight sales increase.
"iPhone 5 to debut in September. But due to in-cell touch panel and casing yield rate limits, ability to offset older models' shipments decrease will be moderate," Kuo writes as one of his bullet points for the upcoming second half of 2012.
Trailing the new iPhone's launch will be a rumored smaller iPad model, also seeing a likely announcement in September following a manufacturing ramp-up in August. While initial sales of the as-yet-unannounced device will be somewhat modest, Kuo sees an impressively strong performance in the holiday quarter and estimates sales of over 13 million units. If correct, the sales numbers would put the so-called "iPad mini" out in front of its bigger brother.
The iPad mini estimates are in line with recent reports that claim Apple's Chinese manufacturing partner Foxconn is already hiring extra staff in a build-up to mass production next month.
Adding to earlier reports which claimed Apple may be tweaking the internals of the third-generation iPad, Kuo's sources say the changes won't be aesthetic and are meant to cut component costs and improve thermal performance. The modified third-generation iPad is expected to hit shelves in October.
While third quarter sales may be soft for the Cupertino-based company, Kuo sees huge gains going into quarter four thanks in large part to the introduction of new iPad and iPhone models. He pegs Apple's handset sales to hit 55 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and iPad product line sales closing in on 24 million during the same period.
Also on the docket for this fall is a rumored redesign for Apple's iPod touch and iPod nano media players. At this point details are scarce, though Kuo claims the new devices will feature technology from both the sixth-generation iPhone like a larger screen as well as components from existing iOS products like the A5 processor found in the iPhone 4S.
Comments
Yeah, it seems like too much, and that's without including what SW changes will come with the larger display and the iTunes, iTS, and iCloud related presentations.
Then we have another event for the new Retina 13" MBPs, iMacs, possibly other Macs and new AirPort devices.
They seem to be saying 4 separate announcements for the new iPods, new iPhone, iPad mini and revised iPad.
I'm after a new ipod touch for the kids, iphone and imac so it would be great to get them before xmas.
Don't forget the new Ivy Bridge Mac mini later this week. Will ship with Mountain Lion preinstalled plus a Mountain Lion Server quad core model. BTW Mountain Lion Server is a $19.95 add on to Mountain Lion Wednesday.
Is the mini still at the point where the base model can not have quad core?
It would be funny if the new phone had quad core but the mini didn't. Wouldn't it? Maybe that's just funny to me..,.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vadania
Is the mini still at the point where the base model can not have quad core?
It would be funny if the new phone had quad core but the mini didn't. Wouldn't it? Maybe that's just funny to me..,.
It's somewhat amusing. The macbook air will probably stay with dual core cpus. The 13" pro could offer a quad option next year if intel increases the available skus. The low end has been progressing faster than the high end, even if you factor Sandy Bridge E which wasn't implemented on Macs.
What would be youre "guess" for a refresh of the time capsuled? I need to replace my d-link netdrive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hmm
It's somewhat amusing. The macbook air will probably stay with dual core cpus. The 13" pro could offer a quad option next year if intel increases the available skus. The low end has been progressing faster than the high end, even if you factor Sandy Bridge E which wasn't implemented on Macs.
When I replace my imac I will be looking for a thin 13" laptop with discret GPU. Do you guys think that the 13" MBP with retina display with have the 650m GPU?
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
It's going to be a busy event if Apple is going to announce new iPods, a new iPhone, and iPads. Possible but not probable.
This is why this report is highly dubious. He's actually saying that there will be two or three separate events to announce all this stuff.
His times are way off if you ask me and he really seems to be making some very elaborate guesses based on little information and some private supply line calculations that only he is aware of.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
I hope people don't get their hopes set too high. As convincing as they may be, these are still rumors, after all.
People were absolutely certain that the iPhone nano was imminent. It was a question of when, not if.
In 2008.
Because if there's one thing that we know about the iPhone, it's that it's too big.
Even more recently, iPad 2 was supposed to be Retina. Apple was almost certainly working on it, I think it's pretty clear that it just wasn't ready then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by herbapou
When I replace my imac I will be looking for a thin 13" laptop with discret GPU. Do you guys think that the 13" MBP with retina display with have the 650m GPU?
That would be my guess. The retina display needs a lot of GPU power. Still, it would be a challenge to fit that in the smaller form factor. It's not just the chip. It's the memory and the extra cooling hardware, and it is also true that the retina 13" needs to push 20% fewer pixels than the 15". We'll see.
It really isn't like Apple to announce more than one or two major product updates and/or all-new products in a single month. Sure, they've probably held media events for iPhone and quietly launched updated Macs in the same month. But I think the iPhone (6th gen) and iPad mini need to be launched about a month apart.
Apple really likes to put freshly updated iPhones and iPads all by themselves on their home page for at least a month. The Retina MacBook Pro is still there, after 6 weeks. Leaving a product all by itself in the spotlight allows the media to do their reviews and to let the product propagate through print, web, and TV ads and stories. I'd expect the same treatment for both the new iPhone and the iPad mini and possibly even the 13" Retina MacBook Pro. (But maybe not the updated iPod touch / nano.)
And that would mean staggering the major releases by at least a month. Early September, early October, early November. And since Apple makes the most money from iPhone at the moment, it should come first. It is, in effect, a halo product for the rest of Apple's product lines, so it should set the ball rolling in the build-up to the holiday sales season.
iPad will soon be called "the New New
iPad". Will wonders never cease?!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeeGee48
So let's see: the 3rd generation
iPad will soon be called "the New New
iPad".
The 3rd generation is already out. The 4th gen will be called 'the new iPad'. The 3rd gen will be called 'iPad'.
I love my iPad2, but if this new iPad mini has a retina display I will be all over it.
I skipped the iPad 3 because it seemed too heavy and thick in comparison to my iPad 2. As much as I love the retina display, I thought the iPad 3 felt odd in my hands with the extra bulk.
Handling my co-worker's new Nexus tablet actually convinced me of the utility of the smaller 7" size, but the Android ecosystem is too fragmented for me. Apple will kick some serious butt in this segment if they come out with a retina display iPad mini.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Double0Diablo
I skipped the iPad 3 because it seemed too heavy and thick in comparison to my iPad 2.
.2lbs is "too heavy"? .3" is "too thick"?