KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a report he claims details Apple’s product roadmap for the rest of the year.
It’s generating tons of headlines, because Apple looks to be reworking pretty much everything. Kuo says we can expect refreshes across Apple’s product line; from desktops to tablets and even wearables. (Via iPhone Hacks, BGR, iDownloadBlog)
Apple is expected to have an especially busy third quarter, with upgrades to its iPad Air and iPad Mini, two different sizes of iWatch and a newly redesigned 4.7-inch iPhone model. KGI is also expecting an upgraded Apple TV, completely redesigned slim MacBook Pro and an upgrade to the Retina MacBook Pro. (Via MacRumors)
Apple could be making an expensive splash on its first entry into wearables — Kuo suggests the highest-end iWatch could come with a spit take-inducing price tag of around a thousand dollars.
Yes, despite Kuo’s track record of reliability, this one’s got industry watchers scratching their heads. Mark Gurman imagines shooting that high could really backfire on Apple; Rene Ritchiefigures for that price you might as well get more functionality out of a full-on arm laptop.
But Ben Lovejoy at 9to5Mac argues there’s one way it could work: aim just that high-end model at the high-end market. “Put top-spec models into exclusive casings and create a sub-brand for the range, and I could see a small but highly profitable niche market.”
For comparison: Samsung’s Gear II will go for $300 when it goes on sale later this month; Motorola’s Android Wear-equipped Moto 360 is expected to retail for less than $500 this summer.
In any case, Apple’s iWatch is still a rumor that it probably won’t address until later this year. The company’s next confirmed event is the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
