CLSA

Apple's rumored "iPhone 8" with an OLED display and wireless charging will continue to have Touch ID, but there is a "high chance" it will be on the back of the smartphone, says Hong Kong-based equity research firm CLSA. "iPhone 8" mockup with rear Touch ID sensor by Benjamin Geskin An excerpt from a research note distributed this week by CLSA analysts Sebastian Hou and Brian Chen:iPhone to ditch fingerprint sensor? We don’t think so. Both Samsung and Apple tried to enable in-display fingerprint sensing on full-screen OLED phones in 2017, but their optical tech seems immature and the major iPhone 8 bottleneck. Some thus speculate the fingerprint sensor will be removed and replaced by 3D sensing. Our latest supply chain checks indicate the iPhone 8 will still have the sensor given security, user-friendliness, and a need for payments infrastructure, but there is a high chance it will be on the back like Samsung's Galaxy S8.CLSA created a diagram showing Touch ID placed slightly below the Apple logo on the back of the iPhone. Samsung included a fingerprint sensor on the back of the Galaxy S8, but some reviews found it to be awkwardly positioned next to the camera. Apple placing Touch ID lower down could make it easier to reach. The diagram also shows a vertically-aligned dual-lens camera, a widely rumored iPhone 8 feature seen in previous renders. There also appear to be additional modules next to the front-facing camera, likely for rumored 3D sensing and facial recognition functionality. Other features shown are identical to the iPhone 7. The diagram suggests

Business Insider reports on a new research note from Hong Kong-based research firm CLSA claiming that Apple's much-rumored television set is likely to debut in 2013 rather than the late 2012 timeframe that has been suggested by several other reports. CLSA is also one of a number of analyst firms that believe Foxconn's investment in Sharp is likely tied to potential for an Apple television.We continue to view Apple TV hardware as a 2013 event. The timing of Hon Hai/Foxconn's equity stake and partnership with Sharp along with Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou's separate 46.5% investment in Sharp's Sakai City plant lends further credibility that Apple TV is in the works. This also follows reports that Apple is investing ~$1.3bn in equipment destined for Sharp facilities.CLSA does not offer a specific rationale for its belief that the Apple television won't debut until next year, but a number of rumors from last year suggested that it could appear in either late 2012 or early 2013. More recent reports have claimed that component suppliers have already begun moving parts for the Apple television, with a launch potentially coming in the fourth quarter of this year. CLSA does not have a particularly prolific track record, but the only previous report we have on record from the firm is an incorrect one from June 2011 claiming that an LTE-equipped iPad would launch ahead of the 2011 holiday season. The new iPad with LTE support of course didn't launch until earlier this

The Wall Street Journal briefly reports on a research note from Hong Kong-based analyst firm CLSA claiming that checks with Apple's suppliers indicate that the next-generation iPad will debut before the end of this year, in time for the holiday shopping rush. According to the report, the updated iPad will include improvements to the display and LTE compatibility for cellular data use.While most vendors appear fixated on matching the specs and features of iPad2, our checks suggest Apple will release iPad3 in time for the holiday season, sporting a better display and LTE capabilities.Rumors surfacing right around the time of the iPad 2's debut earlier this year had indicated that Apple could be planning to release yet another update to the device around the September timeframe. Excitement around those rumors has since been tempered amid reports that the next-generation iPad is unlikely to debut this year. Recent reports have claimed that Apple is just now beginning the certification process for components to be used in the next-generation iPad, with a timetable putting the device's launch into 2012. CLSA does not have a significant track record of supply chain rumors regarding Apple's products, and thus it is not entirely clear why The Wall Street Journal has chosen to highlight the firm's report. In addition, claims of LTE compatibility for an iPad to be released before the end of the year appear to conflict with Qualcomm's development timeline for Apple-suitable LTE chips that will not begin sampling until late this year and will not appear in devices until 2012.