Apple to Release New iPads With Face ID, Lower Priced MacBook Air, Apple Watch With Larger Display in 2H18 [Report]

Apple is expected to release new iPads with Face ID, a lower priced MacBook Air, and an Apple Watch with a larger display in the second half of 2018, according to research note from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The well respected Apple analyst offered numerous other tidbits about the company's future plans in a note that was obtained by MacRumors.

Kuo said that next year's iPhones will have 'marked innovations' but believes those enhancements won't be clear until around September or October of this year. Apple is expected to sell more LCD-based models than OLED-based models in 2019.


This year, Kuo is still expecting the release of a 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, and a 6.5-inch OLED iPhone. All three models are expected to launch in September. The 6.1-inch LCD iPhone will likely spur upgrades as it has similar features to the iPhone X at a lower estimated price of $600 - $700 USD.

Kuo commented on the impact of a trade war between China and the United States saying, "We believe it is unlikely that Apple will be directly impacted by the trade war because it plays an important role in both China and US economy. It is worth monitoring whether Chinese consumers will reject buying Apple's products due to anti-American sentiment."

The analyst believes that Apple's competition in the high-end market is itself.

"In the high-end market, Apple's real competitor is itself, which implies that it needs to offer new models that appeal to consumers to boost replacement demands. We attribute the iPhone's slow growth in recent years to there being no significant replacement demands boosted by new models after the iPhone 6."


Finally, Kuo says that Apple's innovative user experience and ecosystem will help it succeed in new areas like augmented reality.

"We believe that Apple is still the leading company in the consumer electronics sector and has surpassed its competitors by a wide margin in terms of innovative user experience and ecosystem development. The leading advantages will benefit it when innovating with new applications"

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[via MacRumors]