Apple (NASDAQ:
AAPL
) surprised the world by releasing a cornucopia of upgrades in
time for Thanksgiving. From the iPod Nano and iPad Mini to the
iPod Touch and the iPhone 5, Apple spared no expense in making
sure that every product was refreshed. Even the 13-inch MacBook
Pro (which had been tweaked over the summer) received a bonus
upgrade in the form of a Retina Display and a solid state drive,
as well as a thinner and lighter body. While the company's
product onslaught may prove to be beneficial when Apple reports
its earnings results at the end of the month, it has struck fear
in analysts and investors who wonder what the company will
release during the first and second quarters of 2013.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities,
Apple might not release much of anything until the third
quarter.
Kuo has outlined a list of
prospective release dates
for 2013. In the third quarter Apple enthusiasts can apparently
look forward to the release of the iPhone 5S, a modified iPod
Touch, another iPod Nano refresh, the long-awaited iPad Mini 2
and a "new design Retina MacBook Pro."
That lineup alone could have the potential to carry Apple for
the rest of the year. The company is not stopping there, however.
In the earlier part of the fourth quarter, Kuo believes that
Apple will release an upgraded iMac, as well as another Mac Mini
-- but not a new Mac Pro.
Where does that leave the first half of 2013? By the end of
the first quarter, Apple is expected to release the next
iteration of its Apple TV set-top box. At the tail end of the
second quarter, Apple will release another version of the MacBook
Air. Kuo does not expect the Air to contain a Retina Display.
Rather, it may simply receive the new Haswell platform from Intel
(NASDAQ:
INTC
).
That marks the end of Kuo's predictions. If they are accurate,
it would mean that Apple's first- and second-quarter lineups
would contain only one product each. That could put a strain on
Apple as it attempts to win back investors ahead of the
third-quarter bombshell.
Miraculously, Apple is up more than three percent today. This
is arguably the first meaningful gain the company has had this
month. Year-to-date, Apple is down more than 11 percent. Apple
lost more than 19 percent of its value during the last three
months of 2012.
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@LouisBedigianBZ
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