Analyst Predicts New iPhone 5S in June, Low-Cost iPhone in September

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has something of a mixed track record predicting Apple product releases, having expected an Apple television set for several years now. Regardless, in a research note today, Munster predicted an iPhone 5S will be released in June, and a low-cost iPhone in September.

He believes the 5S will have incremental upgrades with a faster processor, better camera, and "an outside chance" that the device will gain an NFC chip as part of a digital wallet initiative. He also notes that some kind of biometric security feature is a possibility, but believes that is more likely in a future iPhone 6.

NewImage
Regarding the lower-cost iPhone, Munster writes:

We continue to believe Apple will have a cheaper phone product to address the emerging markets. In recent public comments, Tim Cook noted that the original iPod cost $399 and eventually the company released a $49 iPod Shuffle which addressed a broader market. We believe Apple will likely introduce a cheaper device in the September quarter.

Earlier this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo -- who has a very good track record in recent years -- also predicted an iPhone 5S in June or July, with a lower-cost iPhone around the same time.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...

Top Rated Comments

basesloaded190 Avatar
167 months ago
Gene Munster- The industry's best paid guesser. :rolleyes:
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
benspratling Avatar
167 months ago
$49 iPhone Shuffle. Don't like the person you're calling? Just hit the "next" button. LMAO.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crisss1205 Avatar
167 months ago
Analysts are paid to make up rumors to get the market stirring. He has no source for this but his imagination.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daneoni Avatar
167 months ago
Where do i sign up to be paid to spew BS with a 50/50 probability year in year out?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fruitpunch.ben Avatar
167 months ago
[url=https://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image (https://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/26/analyst-predicts-new-iphone-5s-in-june-low-cost-iphone-in-september/)[/url]


Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has something of a mixed track record predicting Apple product releases

Understatement of the year!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChrisCW11 Avatar
167 months ago
Meh

I mean, why get excited?

A CPU revision? A few tenths of a millimeter shaved of the dimensions, a few grams lighter, a bump in the iOS version. Maybe larger screen that only fits one more row of the same sized icons, but 90% of apps are letter boxed anyways?

iPhone rollouts are becoming mundane and uninspired, almost comical really.

Until Apple does a complete UI revamp of iOS or some stunning design changes then I don't see why people should get excited about an iPhone release these days, and I don't understand why people would stand in line to replace their iPhone 5 with 5s on the day its released. Why buy a phone where everything just works the same way as the last iPhone you owned?

I want Apple to be innovative and ahead of the curve again, but lately they are not even playing catch up anymore. They seem to be lost in their own little reality field, you know, the same way RIM was when the iPhone was first released, just before they lost most of their marketshare.

Inspiration through apathy. If all there is to look forward from Apple is a watch, then they lost everything they have gained over the last 5 years.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)