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Analyst Predicts Multiple iPhone Refreshes Per Year, New Services After Meeting with Apple Execs

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MacRumors

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple's bifurcation of its iPhone lineup will provide the company with the opportunity to offer new iPhone products multiple times per year in the future, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. Along with pricing flexibility, the ability to offer new products at more frequent intervals will drive unit growth upwards in 2014.

Apple recently introduced both the high-end iPhone 5s and the mid-range iPhone 5c, priced slightly lower, selling both alongside the lower-end iPhone 4s. It is unclear how Apple plans to continue to upgrade these lines in the future, but according to Huberty, Apple will be able to utilize its dual product lineup for "multiple refreshes per year."

iphone_5s_5c.jpg
Huberty, who recently met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer to gain some insight on Apple's future plans, also indicates that there's a lot of growth potential in Apple's services category. She suggests that Apple could, for example, expand the usage of Touch ID in the future, setting the stage for new services revenue streams
Services a meaningful opportunity. As we highlighted in our June 4, 2013 note, iOS usage stats far exceeds Android. Combining 575M+ high-end consumer accounts (most linked to credit cards or ACH) with investments Apple is making in cutting edge hardware, like the fingerprint sensor, and upgrading its installed base to the latest versions of iOS and OS X sets up for new services revenue streams, in our view.
Click to expand...
Apple recently made some drastic moves towards improving its software and service offerings, providing OS X Mavericks for free to all users, along with a number of other free software upgrades for its iLife and iWork suite of apps. Apple has also been aiming to enter new service markets, introducing iTunes Radio earlier this year and working on completing deals with cable companies like Time Warner with the potential goal of debuting new television services.

During Apple's fourth quarter earnings call, CEO Tim Cook indicated Apple would introduce new product categories in 2014, suggesting the company would use its skills to build software, hardware, and services to create "great products" in categories that Apple does not currently participate in.

Article Link: Analyst Predicts Multiple iPhone Refreshes Per Year, New Services After Meeting with Apple Execs
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/06/analyst-predicts-multiple-iphone-refreshes-per-year-new-services-after-meeting-with-apple-execs/
Lapidus

Lapidus

macrumors regular
May 14, 2012
202
174
You mean.. fans actually have to choose a model?! And not just be able to buy the newest every year? :confused:
 
japanime

japanime

macrumors 68030
Feb 27, 2006
2,916
4,844
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If this would mean Apple would release phones with different screen sizes, too, I'd be all for it. I still prefer a phone with a smaller screen (and therefore overall more portable). It's why I've kept my iPhone 4 this long.
 
Nanasaki

Nanasaki

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2010
320
0
MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Apple's bifurcation of its iPhone lineup will provide the company with the opportunity to offer new iPhone products multiple times per year in the future, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. Along with pricing flexibility, the ability to offer new products at more frequent intervals will drive unit growth upwards in 2014.

Apple recently introduced both the high-end iPhone 5s and the mid-range iPhone 5c, priced slightly lower, selling both alongside the lower-end iPhone 4s. It is unclear how Apple plans to continue to upgrade these lines in the future, but according to Huberty, Apple will be able to utilize its dual product lineup for "multiple refreshes per year."

Huberty, who recently met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer to gain some insight on Apple's future plans, also indicates that there's a lot of growth potential in Apple's services category. She suggests that Apple could, for example, expand the usage of Touch ID in the future, setting the stage for new services revenue streamsApple recently made some drastic moves towards improving its software and service offerings, providing OS X Mavericks for free to all users, along with a number of other free software upgrades for its iLife and iWork suite of apps. Apple has also been aiming to enter new service markets, introducing iTunes Radio earlier this year and working on completing deals with cable companies like Time Warner with the potential goal of debuting new television services.

During Apple's fourth quarter earnings call, CEO Tim Cook indicated Apple would introduce new product categories in 2014, suggesting the company would use its skills to build software, hardware, and services to create "great products" in categories that Apple does not currently participate in.

Article Link: Analyst Predicts Multiple iPhone Refreshes Per Year, New Services After Meeting with Apple Execs
Click to expand...

Does that mean older iPhone will get obsolete faster than ever before? Meaning people need buy iPhone more frequently? Good luck with that Apple fans...
 
musika

musika

macrumors 65816
Sep 2, 2010
1,285
459
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Seeing as there are multiple models of the iPhone and services are a major piece of all modern computing platforms, I'd say that's some rather brilliant insight from the 'analyst'.

Bleh.
 
TimeSquareDesi

TimeSquareDesi

macrumors 6502
Apr 25, 2013
443
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I'm totes New Yorkian
Multiple refreshes per year? Are they serious? As it is now, it takes so much effort and taxes the heck out of their supply chain to meet iPhone demand when it's announced... I can't imagine them pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and being able to meet that much demand/volume.

On the positive side though, I hope I can finally get an iPhone (or iPad) with the hardware that 2013 commands. I still can't believe they're selling a 16gb iphone... I understand they make a ton of margins but this makes them seem stubborn/stuck to adapt to changing consumer/technology preferences.

/rant.
 
A

ahmet

macrumors member
Aug 27, 2012
34
0
don't think that its gonna happen. I am in for multiple screen sizes but not for multiple refreshes per year :cool:
 
2

2457282

Suspended
Dec 6, 2012
3,327
3,015
The telcos - verizon, att, sprint, tmobile - all just created plan that cost more to allow us to upgrade phones yearly in the US. This can only mean even more expensive plans from the telco to allow us to upgrade every three months :D

More seriously, I do think this is a good move (because it allows them to better compete against all the weekly samsung releases) but maybe people will move the the european model of simply buying their phones out right (not so good for apple).
 
Sol

Sol

macrumors 68000
Jan 14, 2003
1,564
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iOS products can be upgraded in capacity for interim upgrades. Personally I have no use for a new iPhone until there is a 128 GB option. Capacity increases have really been lagging since the transition to solid state media.
 
KylePowers

KylePowers

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2011
1,688
197
Meh. If anything, Apple will just stagger their iPhone updates by a few months. iPhone 5C will get bumped up to iPhone 5S hardware (presumably renamed to iPhone 6C) and iPhone 5S will be replaced by the iPhone 6. I have no idea if this would be a good idea from an economic standpoint, but it's a possibility if they want to spread out their product releases (as it would be fairly straight-forward to move the 5C to 5S hardware).

And of course we'll more than likely see TouchID on the 3rd generation iPad Mini and 2nd generation iPad Air. iPhone 5S was just a trial run to iron out manufacturability, durability, and likeability. Might even see it make its way to the 6C, and somehow magically embedded into their wireless desktop keyboards or magic mice.

But in the mean time, we're all still waiting for the 2nd iPad Mini launch, Mac Pro launch, Mac Mini refresh, Thunderbolt display refresh, AirPort Express refresh, and imaginably anticipating the iWatch and a more useful AppleTV (i.e. AppStore). So chop-chop Apple!
 
citi

citi

macrumors 65816
May 2, 2006
1,363
508
Simi Valley, CA
TimeSquareDesi said:
On the positive side though, I hope I can finally get an iPhone (or iPad) with the hardware that 2013 commands. I still can't believe they're selling a 16gb iphone... I understand they make a ton of margins but this makes them seem stubborn/stuck to adapt to changing consumer/technology preferences.

/rant.
Click to expand...
to be fair, they're not forcing you to buy the low end model
 
M

Middiebear

macrumors member
Jun 13, 2010
92
39
I don't see how it's a possibility for Apple to refresh the iPhone line "multiple times" year with the way the current cell phone industry works.

Cell phone carriers (USA speaking) have become even more strict when it comes to their upgrade policies, and even their "upgrade when you want" policies have a limit of once per year.

I know that AT&T and Verizon have changed the upgrade date to correspond with customers' contract end dates. (Which mostly everyone still opts the 2-year subsidized contract)

These carriers have also already been ruthlessly strict in not allowing customers to upgrade until they are eligible with exceptions being rarely made.

Refreshing the line once per year keeps the cycle of upgrade eligible customers in sync...
 
One Bad Duck

One Bad Duck

macrumors member
Sep 18, 2005
89
51
Sol said:
iOS products can be upgraded in capacity for interim upgrades. Personally I have no use for a new iPhone until there is a 128 GB option. Capacity increases have really been lagging since the transition to solid state media. cloud services.
Click to expand...

There I fixed that for you.

You will never see large storage on devices again. Thats because they don't want you to store anything on your device anymore. It takes up too much damn room.

Don't worry as long as it's a cloudy day. You can get whatever you want.
 
S

SAIRUS

macrumors 6502a
Aug 21, 2008
818
516
I'd just like to see once per year, Apple releases variants of the iPhone and iPad. So like their laptops, each model would have different screen sizes, and possible different configurations.

Of course this should happen over time, but I really think the 5C was more apple testing to see if they could support launching 2 new phones at the same time. Yeah the 5C is mostly a 5, but on a supply chain perspective, it's a variant.
 
JOLoughlin

JOLoughlin

macrumors regular
Aug 20, 2008
126
244
uugghh I don't think I like the sound of this. Between this bit of news and recently announced plans from Samsung everyone sounds desperate to pump out more crap. Probably scared of their shares dropping.
 
H

hoon2999

macrumors regular
Mar 30, 2012
137
119
2013 : iPhone 5S is the best!! Screw Galaxucks they make phones that i cant use with one hand!!

2014 : im loving my iPhone 6 with bigger screen!! Apple didnt copy/follow Samsung! Apple just needed time to make it perfect!!




2013 : Samsheeps will cry over their 6 months cycles. Their brand new phone gets outdated too soon!!

2014 : Apple is genius! This 5 months cycles will allow Apple to offer consumers newer technology fast as they can.
 
X

xVeinx

macrumors 6502
Oct 9, 2006
361
0
California
Let's be honest: Apple is consistently pushing boundaries on manufacturing methods. If they can intersperse introduction of products using more typical methods (such as the iPad air), then they can continue to pursue those that don't and not take flack for it. The constant drone of demands for the latest _____ gets old, but releasing the product with minimal volume also gets negative feedback. They need to figure out how to smooth out the release of new products/updates and not have them bunch up late in the year as in this past year.
 
Mike5

Mike5

macrumors newbie
Jul 6, 2010
18
16
Edinburgh
Apple's bifurcation...
It happened before, when Steve Jobs was ousted. It was the main reason Apple went almost bankrupt. It took the very same Steve Jobs to resurrect it by means of cutting off resource hogs and focus on 4 products. Streamlining the resources - and I mean ALL the resources is the only way for this company to survive.
Do not put your money where the patent fight is, put your money where your focus on future devices is.
 
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