Tweaked iPad and New 'iPad Mini' Said to Closely Follow Next-Generation iPhone Launch

[MacRumors]

In addition to coverage of all-new iPod touch and iPod nano models in his report released earlier today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also offered more predictions about Apple's iOS device plans for the September-October timeframe. According to Kuo, Apple is looking to launch the next-generation iPhone in September, perhaps closer to the beginning of the month. But with component shortages and limited on-sale time during the quarter following an expected pullback from consumers in expectation of the launch, he predicts only a modest bump in unit sales over the second quarter's numbers.

iPhone 5 to debut in September. But due to in-cell touch panel and casing yield rate limits, ability to offset older models' shipments decrease will be moderate.

On the iPad front, Kuo is expecting the iPad mini to debut later in September following component ramping in August. He predicts sales of just 1.8 million units during the short time the device will be on sale during the third quarter, exploding to overtake the full-size iPad in the fourth quarter with an estimate of over 13 million units.

Mockup of 7.85-inch "iPad mini" next to an iPhone (courtesy of CiccareseDesign)

Interestingly, Kuo also claims that Apple will be tweaking the internals of the current full-size iPad around the same time, making changes to address thermal issues and reduce costs. Digitimes had previously claimed that Apple would be revamping the third-generation iPad later this year with a thinner enclosure, IGZO display, and new heat dissipation capabilities, but Kuo's sources indicate that the changes will be invisible to users.

Though shipments of iPad mini's components will start in August, the new iPad line will end production, ready for transition to a modified New iPad line. As such, component shipments will drop in August as iPad mini's components shipments growth will be offset. On a side note, the modified New iPad shares the same exterior as the original model, but contains modifications to correct its thermal dissipation problem and lower-cost components.

Overall, Kuo is predicting massive iPhone and iPad sales for the fourth quarter of 2012 once the new models have full quarters of sales to build upon. His estimates put total iPhone sales at over 55 million and iPad sales at nearly 24 million during the quarter, spurred in large part by momentum from the iPhone and iPad mini launches.

Article Link: Tweaked iPad and New 'iPad Mini' Said to Closely Follow Next-Generation iPhone Launch

[na1577]

I stopped reading at "analyst".

[arn]

Originally Posted by na1577

I stopped reading at "analyst".

except he's been regularly accurate in the past.

arn

[celui]

You need to get her name right. Is Kuo (this article) or Cho (previous one). And also in many Asian languages, family name is printed first, that's just a sign of respect (ex: Hu Jiantao)

[greytmom]

It seems a little schizophrenic of Apple, doesn't it? Will be interesting to see what ends up being true.

[Reaktor5]

Apple is not going to tweak the new iPad until next year.

[na1577]

Originally Posted by arn

except he's been regularly accurate in the past.

arn

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.

(Yes, I realize these posts are more generated for discussion than actual news. But reiterating the same few predictions from analysts gets tiresome after a while)

[arn]

Originally Posted by na1577

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.

He's gotten very specific details correct in the past. So yes, if you could regularly offer accurate predictions with specifics, then yes, you would be considered a reliable source.

here are some that were on target:

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/08/...splay-at-wwdc/
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/23/...h-macbook-pro/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/12/...gned-iphone-5/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/22/...ter-this-year/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/19/...l-macbook-air/

Were they just lucky guesses? Well, if so, he guesses well. So, we should still listen to him.

arn

[rtdunham]

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.

[DrJohnnyN]

New toys for me!

[Reaktor5]

Originally Posted by rtdunham

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.

I think it's so you can hold it in a comfortable way without touching the screen causing sporadic movements from your fingers.

[Caliber26]

Originally Posted by rtdunham

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.

The way you hold an iPhone is very different than how you hold an iPad. If the bezel were thinner, your fingers would provide unwanted input.

Originally Posted by na1577

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.

(Yes, I realize these posts are more generated for discussion site clicks than actual news. But reiterating the same few predictions from analysts gets tiresome after a while)

Fixed.

[belltree]

Hopefully "tweaked internals for the full-size iPad" will turn out to be a die shrink for the A5X inside the iPad3 to 32nm or possibly smaller. A decrease in heat and power consumption would be welcome.

[MrDelux]

So is he/she predicting that iPhone 5 parts will be hard to come by and as a result iPhone 5 shortages??

[greytmom]

Originally Posted by arn

He's gotten very specific details correct in the past. So yes, if you could regularly offer accurate predictions with specifics, then yes, you would be considered a reliable source.

here are some that were on target:

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/08/...splay-at-wwdc/
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/04/23/...h-macbook-pro/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/12/...gned-iphone-5/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/22/...ter-this-year/
http://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/19/...l-macbook-air/

Were they just lucky guesses? Well, if so, he guesses well. So, we should still listen to him.

arn

If that's luck, I'd like to shake his hand. And then buy a lottery ticket.

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by arn

except he's been regularly accurate in the past.

Even the best can make a mistake

[justperry]

It's gonna be a few busy months for Apple if this all comes reality.

New iPhone, new iPods, iMacs?, 13" rMBP and what more.

I do believe that Apple will tweak the iPad just to make it cooler, could even go with a smaller battery if they shrink the A5X.

[Icy1007]

I seriously doubt there will be an "iPad mini". I also don't see an update to the iPad until at least next year.

[RobertMartens]

Originally Posted by Reaktor5

Apple is not going to tweak the new iPad until next year.

duh

plus also iPad mini, as if

[dra]

mini ipad is a better name

[MacinDoc]

Originally Posted by na1577

Accurate or not, they're still only predictions. I could predict a new iPhone this fall and I would likely be correct. But that doesn't grant me any credibility as a reliable source.

(Yes, I realize these posts are more generated for discussion than actual news. But reiterating the same few predictions from analysts gets tiresome after a while)

His predictions are a good deal more specific than "new iPhone this fall". They refer to specific months during which multiple products will allegedly be deployed. The large number of predictions made has two effects: it increases the probability that they will be right about at least one, and it increases the probability that they will be wrong with at least one. So if they are right with the majority of their timeline, their credibility will be further enhanced. If they are right with all of the predictions, I suspect Apple Legal will be having a talk with them.

[chanyitian]

Originally Posted by rtdunham

Why are iPad bezels so disproportionately large compared to the bezel on the iPhone? Is it just to increase size in order to accommodate a bigger battery? How many of you would prefer smaller width & height dimensions and a little more thickness, to achieve the same mass of battery?

My argument: Shrink the bezel and the frontal area. It's not thickness that determines whether a device will fit in a pocket, at least not where thin iPads are involved; it's width & height.

I am sorry but I disagree with you. I think that the iPad should not have a much thinner bezel. This is because the iPad is significantly larger than the iPhone which makes one hand operation impossible. you need to hold it and press your thumbs on the surface of the iPad so that it won't fall. If the bezel of the iPad is thin, it means more accidental, unintended touch on the touch screen, which is a disaster. Therefore, I don't think that Apple will dramatically reduce the width of the bezel of the iPad, even if its technologically possible.

[iisdan]

Makes fun of android for fragmentation, takes it as a challenge

[bushido]

damn just bought my new iPad two weeks ago. should have waited maybe because the charging time and the heat is redic as of right now.

its probably going to be a quiet update, like on the tweaked iPad 2

[Pressure]

I think the tweak will come in the form of a 32 nm A5X and that is it.