Next-gen iPad Air with Touch ID, new gold color option may also debut at Apple's Sept. 9 event

Posted:
in iPad edited September 2014
At a media event already expected to be packed with the unveiling of two new iPhone models and a so-called "iWatch," the company may also showcase its next full-size iPad Air with Touch ID fingerprint sensor and a new gold color option, according to well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.




Kuo, of KGI Securities, issued a new research note on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, in which he said he believes a so-called "iPad Air 2" will be unveiled by Apple next Tuesday. That would be alongside the 4.7- and 5.5-inch versions of the "iPhone 6," as well as a wearable wrist-worn device.

Kuo stated that "only iPad Air 2 will see significant spec upgrades," suggesting that the company's iPad mini may not be given as much attention in 2014.

Specifically, he believes the next iPad Air will have an anti-reflective screen coating, a full-lamination touch panel, a new gold-colored casing, and a next-generation A8 processor. He also expects the device to adopt the Touch ID fingerprint sensor that debuted last year in the iPhone 5s.

Kuo said that the iPad mini "may" be updated this year with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, but expressed less confidence about the company's diminutive 7.9-inch tablet.

If Apple were to release a new iPad at next week's event, it would be something of a surprise --?the company is also expected to hold an October event to introduce new products. In years past, this event has showcased new iPads, including last year's unveiling of the iPad Air and second-generation iPad mini with Retina display.

But unlike last year, when the iPad Air was given a redesign with a much lighter and more svelte appearance, neither the iPad Air nor iPad mini are expected to see redesigns this year.

Apple's Sept. 9 event will be held at the Flint Center in Cupertino, Calif. It begins at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern next Tuesday, and AppleInsider will be there live.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    A no-brainer, I'd guess.
  • Reply 2 of 24
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    A no-brainer, I'd guess.

    Yep, and I'm waiting for the six colors to choose from in the iPad mini range with a cover with holes in ... or maybe even a cellular phone built in option for those wanting a really big iPhone! :D
  • Reply 3 of 24
    iPad will not be presenting Sept 9th.. nope.. not gonna happen.. Kuo doesn't have a great track record in general.. a fairly spotty one actually.

    They won't want to take away from iPhone lime light.. They might introduce the iWatch.. but since it won't be sold almost immediately, and will want to build some buzz, it won't be counter productive to do so...

    iPads have, so far, come a month after the iPhone.. Their are other reasons too.. such as production for iPad has only started ramping up.. Apple doesn't like to release a product unless it can be release fairly quickly after announcement usually.. Their are exceptions, but they've been planning this for over a year, so I do not believe they'd change that habit. :smokey:
  • Reply 4 of 24

    that is innovation, everyone overwhelmed, ipad in gold color! Expect stock will drop -10% on Tuesday, if 2 iphones, iwatch, ipad, iTV and mobile payments will not be introduced all together! :)

  • Reply 5 of 24
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Can AI please stop reporting Ming-Chi Kuo's guesses as "Breaking"? :rolleyes:
  • Reply 6 of 24
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    A no-brainer, I'd guess.

    Apple is going to announce iPads on the same day as iPhones? Seriously?
  • Reply 7 of 24
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator

    Great, another non-event - because it's already been reported - if it happens and a reason to knock down the stock if it doesn't.  Just what my investment portfolio needed.

  • Reply 8 of 24
    Given the speculations of what Apple is going to present Sep 9, my guess is people are off the mark, or maybe there will be Oct, Nov, and Dec announcements also.

    Why? When Eddy Cue said this year that Apple has the most impressive pipeline he's seen in 25 years, I'm going to take him at his word. So far, speculations of new products coming in Sept and the rest of the year fall far short of Cue's statement.

    Maybe not September, but certainly this year, I'm expecting Apple to live up to Cue's explicit promise.
  • Reply 9 of 24
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Can AI please stop reporting Ming-Chi Kuo's guesses as "Breaking"? image

    But, that's like asking them not to report 'the wind'...

    as breaking.

  • Reply 10 of 24
    rogifan wrote: »
    Apple is going to announce iPads on the same day as iPhones? Seriously?

    Sure. Why not? They may not even take the time to announce the incremental update. The info will likely just show up on the website/store.
  • Reply 11 of 24
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post





    Sure. Why not? They may not even take the time to announce the incremental update. The info will likely just show up on the website/store.

    I agree.  There has been such a long delay between any significant announcement and so much hype about this, silence on any dimension will be trumpeted as failure.  "Apple has no answer to the Surface 3" etc.

     

    The bigger venue and the extra building (!) point to this being very different from the usual roll-out.  I expect an emphasis on the whole Apple/iOS ecosystem.  iOS at home, iOS in the car, iOS for health.  Leaving the iPad out of that (or using last year's model) would be very odd.

  • Reply 12 of 24
    Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp!
  • Reply 13 of 24
    boredumb wrote: »
    But, that's like asking them not to report 'the wind'...
    as breaking.
    giphy.gif
    Given the speculations of what Apple is going to present Sep 9, my guess is people are off the mark, or maybe there will be Oct, Nov, and Dec announcements also.
    Maybe announcements but not actual public unveilings. That would get expensive.
    Sure. Why not? They may not even take the time to announce the incremental update. The info will likely just show up on the website/store.
    I'd imagine there would be more additions to the iPad than just to have its update as a footnote in comparison. They will want to show off Touch ID, most likely advanced multitasking, etc.
  • Reply 14 of 24
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by malax View Post

     

    I agree.  There has been such a long delay between any significant announcement and so much hype about this, silence on any dimension will be trumpeted as failure.  "Apple has no answer to the Surface 3" etc.


    To which the world will resound with: "There's a Surface 3?"

  • Reply 15 of 24
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Apple is going to announce iPads on the same day as iPhones? Seriously?

    I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen! Frankly much of the show on 9/9 will be about software, IOS devices are just hardware to support the services Apple wants to deliver. To much focus is put on hardware as the product, it is but it is a small part of the equation for Apple.
  • Reply 16 of 24

    How many rumor articles can AI parse-out from a single report by M-C K?

  • Reply 17 of 24
    How many rumor articles can AI parse-out from a single report by M-C K?

    You'd be surprised. How many "analyst's notes" are even worth mentioning, yet time and again they are treated like frickin' royalty.
  • Reply 18 of 24
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Cosmetics- nothing more.
  • Reply 19 of 24
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member

    I find it unlikely they're going to shoot all their big announcements for the year in one event....

     

    ....not an efficient use of the amazing and lingering press coverage they can get by spacing releases out into at least two distinct news cycles....

  • Reply 20 of 24
    Given the speculations of what Apple is going to present Sep 9, my guess is people are off the mark, or maybe there will be Oct, Nov, and Dec announcements also.

    Why? When Eddy Cue said this year that Apple has the most impressive pipeline he's seen in 25 years, I'm going to take him at his word. So far, speculations of new products coming in Sept and the rest of the year fall far short of Cue's statement.

    Maybe not September, but certainly this year, I'm expecting Apple to live up to Cue's explicit promise.

    Expect away; you're not the only one.
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