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Tweaked iPad and New 'iPad Mini' Said to Closely Follow Next-Generation iPhone Launch

Monday July 23, 2012 8:53 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
In addition to coverage of all-new iPod touch and iPod nano models in his report released earlier today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also offered more predictions about Apple's iOS device plans for the September-October timeframe. According to Kuo, Apple is looking to launch the next-generation iPhone in September, perhaps closer to the beginning of the month. But with component shortages and limited on-sale time during the quarter following an expected pullback from consumers in expectation of the launch, he predicts only a modest bump in unit sales over the second quarter's numbers.
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.
On the iPad front, Kuo is expecting the iPad mini to debut later in September following component ramping in August. He predicts sales of just 1.8 million units during the short time the device will be on sale during the third quarter, exploding to overtake the full-size iPad in the fourth quarter with an estimate of over 13 million units.


Mockup of 7.85-inch "iPad mini" next to an iPhone (courtesy of CiccareseDesign)

Interestingly, Kuo also claims that Apple will be tweaking the internals of the current full-size iPad around the same time, making changes to address thermal issues and reduce costs. Digitimes had previously claimed that Apple would be revamping the third-generation iPad later this year with a thinner enclosure, IGZO display, and new heat dissipation capabilities, but Kuo's sources indicate that the changes will be invisible to users.
Though shipments of iPad mini’s components will start in August, the new iPad line will end production, ready for transition to a modified New iPad line. As such, component shipments will drop in August as iPad mini’s components shipments growth will be offset. On a side note, the modified New iPad shares the same exterior as the original model, but contains modifications to correct its thermal dissipation problem and lower-cost components.
Overall, Kuo is predicting massive iPhone and iPad sales for the fourth quarter of 2012 once the new models have full quarters of sales to build upon. His estimates put total iPhone sales at over 55 million and iPad sales at nearly 24 million during the quarter, spurred in large part by momentum from the iPhone and iPad mini launches.
[ 51 comments ]

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arn
11 months ago

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.


He's gotten very specific details correct in the past. So yes, if you could regularly offer accurate predictions with specifics, then yes, you would be considered a reliable source.

here are some that were on target:

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/08/apple-to-introduce-third-macbook-line-with-retina-display-at-wwdc/
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/23/apple-predicted-to-discontinue-17-inch-macbook-pro/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/12/apple-sending-ios-5-to-iphone-assemblers-at-end-of-september-no-sign-of-redesigned-iphone-5/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/22/apple-planning-to-introduce-white-ipod-touch-later-this-year/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/19/apple-phasing-out-white-macbook-in-favor-of-entry-level-macbook-air/

Were they just lucky guesses? Well, if so, he guesses well. So, we should still listen to him. :)

arn
Rating: 20 Positives
Avatar
nick_elt
11 months ago

Why do people keep referring to the 6th iPhone as the iPhone 5?


Thread ruined. By this guy ^^^^^^^
Rating: 14 Positives
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arn
11 months ago

I stopped reading at "analyst".


except he's been regularly accurate in the past.

arn
Rating: 14 Positives
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Reaktor5
11 months ago

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.


I think it's so you can hold it in a comfortable way without touching the screen causing sporadic movements from your fingers.
Rating: 10 Positives
Avatar
Caliber26
11 months ago

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.


The way you hold an iPhone is very different than how you hold an iPad. If the bezel were thinner, your fingers would provide unwanted input.

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.

(Yes, I realize these posts are more generated for discussion site clicks than actual news. But reiterating the same few predictions from analysts gets tiresome after a while)


Fixed. ;)
Rating: 7 Positives
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Reaktor5
11 months ago
Apple is not going to tweak the new iPad until next year.
Rating: 7 Positives
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belltree
11 months ago
Hopefully "tweaked internals for the full-size iPad" will turn out to be a die shrink for the A5X inside the iPad3 to 32nm or possibly smaller. A decrease in heat and power consumption would be welcome.
Rating: 6 Positives
Avatar
greytmom
11 months ago

He's gotten very specific details correct in the past. So yes, if you could regularly offer accurate predictions with specifics, then yes, you would be considered a reliable source.

here are some that were on target:

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/08/apple-to-introduce-third-macbook-line-with-retina-display-at-wwdc/
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/23/apple-predicted-to-discontinue-17-inch-macbook-pro/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/12/apple-sending-ios-5-to-iphone-assemblers-at-end-of-september-no-sign-of-redesigned-iphone-5/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/22/apple-planning-to-introduce-white-ipod-touch-later-this-year/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/19/apple-phasing-out-white-macbook-in-favor-of-entry-level-macbook-air/

Were they just lucky guesses? Well, if so, he guesses well. So, we should still listen to him. :)

arn


If that's luck, I'd like to shake his hand. And then buy a lottery ticket.
Rating: 3 Positives
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na1577
11 months ago
I stopped reading at "analyst".
Rating: 3 Positives
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troop231
11 months ago
It would be illogical to launch new devices before Apple's 1st quarter begins, aka the holiday quarter (starts September 30th).

Unless, they know they will sell a boat load of 'New iPhones' in the end of their 4th quarter, and the sales of the new mini iPad will be stronger than that of the phones in the holiday quarter. Meaning that Apple is yet again realigning its product launch timing.
Rating: 2 Positives

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