In a note to clients — as noted by AppleInsider — Rosenblatt Securities analyst Jun Zhang predicts that Apple will ship a “low-end” HomePod this fall costing between $150 and $200 instead of the current model’s $349 and a new Apple Pencil.
He offered no hints on what features a less expensive HomePod would have. However, Zhang thinks the Apple Pencil 2 will work with not just iPad Pros, but a 6.5-inch “iPhone X Plus.” The analyst also expects a faster iPhone SE and an iPad Pro with a TrueDepth camera.
Chances these things will happen, per the Sellers Research Group (that’s me):
A low end HomePod: 30%. With Apple promoting the sound quality on the wireless speaker, I’d expect a bigger, more expensive HomePod rather than a low-end one if Apple wants to expand the line.
An Apple Pencil 2: 100%. I don’t think it will work with an iPhone X Plus, but I do predict that it will feature a new magnetic system that will allow it to temporarily attach to an iPad.
A faster iPhone SE: 100%. It only makes sense.
An iPad Pro with TrueDepth camera: 100%. This, too, seems logical. Also, look for at least one iPad Pro model with Face ID.
