Report: iPhone 6 To Have ‘Extremely Strong’ Replacement Sales, Launch in Q3 2014

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Apple shares are up this week following a report that the company is in talks with Comcast to bring more content to the Apple TV, possibly for their own streaming service. The report notes that users will be able to stream live and on-demand TV content straight to their Apple TV, basically replacing a traditional cable box.

Steve Milunovich, an analyst at UBS, reports that Apple’s next generation iPhone will most likely launch in August or September in two different models. He predicts, based on his “checks” of the supply chain, one model will feature a 4.7-inch display and the other will have a 5.5-inch display.

The analyst is unsure whether Apple will launch the 5.5-inch model at the same time as the smaller version. Milunovich says:

“Phone 6 units are expected to exceed 5s sales year- over-year when it ships.”

Milunovich predicts the March and June quarters will be weaker than expected due to the underwhelming demand for the iPhone 5C and the customer expectation for Apple’s next generation of iPhones and iPads.

The larger iPhones may be priced higher than the current iPhone 5S, but it is still unclear what Apple has planned.

Pacific Crest’s Andy Hargreaves predicts that upgrade sales for the iPhone 6 will be ‘extremely strong.’ Given that Apple’s next iPhone is set for a major hardware design change, many people who had an iPhone 5 have probably skipped the 5S and are waiting for the iPhone 6 to be released before they upgrade. Hargreaves said:

“Calls in to carrier retail stores suggest iPhone unit volume could exceed our estimates of 39.7 million in March and 33.6 million in June. This suggests replacement rates remain extremely strong and that Apple is gaining share of high-end customers. iPad unit volume appears in line with our current estimates.”

The next generation iPhone will reportedly launch in the second half of 2014 and most sales will probably fall into the third quarter. In the second half of the year the company will reportedly launch their long-rumoured iWatch device alongside iOS 8.

[via Barron’s]

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