Few consumer product companies can work the rumor mongers into a lather more intensely than Apple so absorb this latest report with that in mind. On top of that, the source for this nugget of info will probably make you want to swallow it with a grain of salt, a squeeze of lime and however many libations as is your custom.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek has predicted that Apple will launch its iPhone 6 in June of 2014, according to The Financial Post. Misek’s rationale is that the company from Cupertino is gearing up for its iPhone 5S release this year and getting the supply chain ready for the iPhone 6 will take at least two or three quarters.
Among those assertions, Misek also expects the new phone to feature a larger screen, new colors, a faster processor, a better camera, a mobile payment platform formed around Passbook and third party channels, and probably fingerprint recognition. These are quite a few predictions to throw at the wall, perhaps some will stick. Misek’s reputation as a prophet in these matters is not exactly oracular. Still, some of his points here make sense.
Now, full disclosure, I own several shares of Apple stock. Not enough to be truly dismayed by the company’s recent performance on public markets but, still, just thought I’d throw that out there.
As far as Misek’s predictions are concerned, we’d be foolish not to take seriously some of the features he’s suggesting Apple is developing for iPhone. The fingerprint reader is not much of a stretch and would provide identity-verification features that could be a serious selling point for any new mobile device, as FORBES’ own Anthony Wing Kosner reported. When will it be a reality? It’s possible that iPhone 5S will carry the feature.
Tying the fingerprint identity feature to a mobile payment platform is a logical development, as are some of the others when you take into account the competition coming from Samsung. Let’s go through Misek’s list: an upgraded camera (right now Samsung’s Galaxy s4 has more megapixels), colors (Galaxy s4 has more pixels), processor speed (Galaxy s4 is 0.9GHz faster) and screen size (Samsung’s product has a 5-inch screen to iPhone’s 4 inches).
On that last point, is Apple going to supersize its phone to match the Galaxy’s five inches? That’s debatable. In fact, feel free to begin the debate by commenting below.