iPhone 5 Release Date: Analyst Predicts Only 1 New iPhone in 2011
While rumors indicate that Apple will be releasing two iPhones in 2011, a Wedge analyst says that only one smartphone will debut this year.
Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair released a statement to clients detailing that the two products Apple will be releasing in 2011 are an iPhone 5, which will serve as an update of the iPhone 4, and an iPod touch with 3G capability.
"We don’t expect a second, dramatically different iPhone to accompany this as we don’t think Apple needs to have 3 models in the market to address the high end, mid-tier and low end since the iPhone 4 (with memory lowered to 8 GB) will drop to $99 and effectively attack those markets."
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Thus far rumors have indicated that Apple is planning on releasing two iPhones; the iPhone 5, which will be a completely new generation of Apple smartphone, and a low cost smartphone dubbed the iPhone 4S, whose design is similar to that of the iPhone 4.
Blair however suggests that the introduction of the iPhone 5 subsequently dropping the price of the iPhone 4 erases the need for a low cost iPhone. He details that rather than focusing on new hardware for the iPhone 5, Apple will be focusing on new software.
He notes that one rumor of a rectangular Home button is most likely false.
"We expect the focus of the new iPhone will be iOS 5, a speedier A5 processor and a higher resolution 8 MP camera with a small possibility of a larger 4 inch screen. We believe the casing will be largely similar to the iPhone with some particular modifications to the antennae," Blair wrote.
Apple is expected to host a conference on October 4 where new CEO Tim Cook will finally divulge the release date of the iPhone 5; most rumors about the smartphone will most likely be confirmed or denied at the conference.
