Ming-Chi Kuo, a KGI Securities analyst, who has a pretty repectful track record in forecasting Apple’s upcoming product plans issued a new note issued to the clients, in which he makes seven predictions about Apple’s next-generation iPhone 6s. Many of these predictions have already been all over the cloud, but some never heard before.
Kuo expects iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus to go into production in mid-to-late August, and he doesn’t think that Apple would release a 4-inch iPhone refresh in 2015.
He predicts that Apple’s main selling point of next-generation iPhones will be Force Touch – the pressure sensitive display Apple introduced in the Apple Watch and new Macbook trackpads. He also predicts iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus to be powered with an A9 processor, a faster 2 GB of LPDDR4 RAM (twice the size of current generation iPhones), 12-megapixels camera sensor, a new Rose Gold color option, and more.
While the analyst talks how Force Touch can enhance user experience due to “more input methods and support of handwritten signatures, which is beneficial for expanding in the commercial market,” he also warns that introduction of Force Touch display in iPhone s and the 6s Plus may also be a bottle-neck of the supply chain, potentially hindering the initial availability of the device.
He also thinks that Apple will remain at 4.7 and 5.5-inch display sizes, and that Apple won’t launch a 4-inch iPhone in 2015. He also predicts screen resolutions to stay same in 2015.
- Force Touch will be the biggest upgraded selling point, but also one of the main bottlenecks of the supply chain. Force Touch can enhance user experience due to more input methods and support of handwritten signatures, which is beneficial for expanding in the commercial market;
- Screen will remain at 4.7 and 5.5 inches, with resolution the same as existing models. There will be no new 4-inch model;
- There will be an additional casing color, rose gold, matching the rose gold Apple Watch Edition;
- The camera will have a pixel upgrade, likely to 12 MP;
- One microphone will be added near the speaker to enhance voice quality;
- The A9 processor with upgraded 2GB LPDDR4 will be adopted;
- The bending issue will be improved by using different casing materials and internal mechanical design changes;
- If drop test issues can be resolved, the 5.5-inch model will have a limited number of units with sapphire cover lens;
- The recognition rate of Touch ID will be improved further in a bid to promote Apple Pay;
- Gesture control support; and
- It’s expected that mass production will start in mid-to-late August. Total shipments will be 80-90mn in 2015, with a 2:1 ratio of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.