KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo has been fairly reliable when it does to predicting Apple’s product lineups, based on his research with supply chain sources.
His latest report, detailed by MacRumors, reveals what Apple has in store for us this fall, according to his sources. Here’s a brief rundown of what to expect, in Kuo’s eyes:
2014 Q2—iMac
2014 Q3—iPad
- iPad Air 2 to be released earlier than October with Touch ID, A8 processor, improved camera with 8MP
- Retina iPad mini 2: Touch ID, A8 processor, same form factor
- Retina iPad mini to possibly be sold at a lower price
- 12.9-inch iPad Pro: not launching in 2014, but being worked on by Apple
2014 Q3—iWatch
- Will come in two sizes: 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch with flexible AMOLED screens and sapphire cover lens. Also to include biometric recognition, NFC, wireless charging, a “fashionable appearance”, 200-250 mAh battery, all in a thin and light design
- Said to ship by end of Q3, integrate with iOS devices and Macs; multiple price points with the high end watch upwards of $1,000
- iWatch, if successful will have future competitors be fashion brands, instead of tech companies (via AppleInsider)
2014 Q3—iPhone 6
- 4.7-inch model with 1334×750 (326ppi) resolution screen, coming in September
- 5.5-inch model with 1920 x 1080 (401 ppi) resolution screen, coming later; 64GB model will use sapphire display
- Both will have A8 processor, 1GB RAM, LTPS displays, optical image stabilization, Touch ID, all in a thinner design at 6.5mm to 7.0mm thickness inside metal casings and NFC
2014 Q3—Apple TV
- no actual television set coming, rather upgraded set-top box with App Store and motion control technology supported
2014 Q3—12-inch MacBook Air
We know there are lots of silly analysts that like to talk the talk, but Kuo is one that has made reliable predictions in the past—so his reports are worth taking a bit more seriously.
Last year he correctly identified a fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5s home button and also said new iPads would be coming in the fall of 2013 (including a Retina iPad mini), instead of the spring. He also correctly noted a lower cost iPhone 5 in plastic would be coming in six colours, which turned out to be the iPhone 5c.
