The rumor mill is abuzz again today, folks. Here’s what being speculated about, and the Sellers Research Group (that’s me) thoughts on their likelihood of happening.
Bloomberg reports that Apple will launch the iPhone 12, Apple Watch Series 6, a new iPad Air, a smaller HomePod, AirPods Studio, and AirTags. The Sellers Research Group says there’s a 100% chance that all these things will happen.
The iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Series 6 are a given. A new iPad Air with an edge-to-edge, iPad Pro-is screen has been anticipated for some time, as have smaller HomePods and AirTags tracking devices. If there’s a “wild card” in the prediction, it’s the AirPods Studio, an over-the-ear headphone for audiophiles that are expected to cost about US$350.
Bloomberg says that Apple is working on a new Apple TV set-top box with a faster processor for improved gaming and an upgraded remote control. The article says this may not ship until 2021; however, I’m expecting to see it in time for the holiday season.
(A side note: also expect a 12-inch MacBook with “Apple Silicon” in time for the holidays).
Bloomberg also says that Apple is asking suppliers to build at least 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year, “in a sign that demand for the company’s most important product is holding up in the midst of the global pandemic and recession. The article added that the tech giant anticipates shipments of these next-generation iPhones may reach as high as 80 million units in 2020. However, in a note to clients, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that though all iPhone 12 models will include 5G support, the mmWave models may see sales weaker than expected.
mmWave (millimeter wave spectrum) is the band of spectrum between 30GHz and 300GHz. Wedged between microwave and infrared waves, this spectrum can be used for high-speed wireless communications. iPhones sporting this would be targeted to users in dense areas such as big cities. Why weak sales? Kuo says it could be due to delays in the global rollout of mWave base station and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
