- New comes as analysts deny that cut in iPhone 5 parts orders was prompted by fall in demand
By Damien Gayle
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Apple will begin initial production of its next iPhone model in March for an expected launch in June or July, an influential analyst has claimed.
Peter Misek of investment bank Jeffries, who was ahead of others with news that Apple had cut orders for components for the iPhone 5, made the prediction in a note to investors.
The news comes as a string of analysts denied that the Silicon Valley firm's decision to slash orders for iPhone 5 parts was prompted by a fall in demand for their latest smart phone.
Already obsolete? Two models display the Apple iPhone 5 during the product's release at a store in Taipei on December 14. An analyst has claimed production of the next iPhone will begin in March for a summer launch
That revelation sent Apple shares slipping below $500 - as arch-rival Samsung announced it had sold 40million of its flagship Galaxy S III phone in the seven months its been on the market.
Mr Misek predicted in his note that iPhone sales could begin to drop as customers anticipate the arrival of the next model, but he nonetheless said he expects between 44million to ship in the quarter to March.
'As word of the earlier production schedule starts to spread, we believe we could see a slight slowing of demand CQ1 in anticipation of the new product launch and Apple will likely start curtailing channel inventory,' he was quoted as saying by StreetInsider.
'Therefore we tweak down our CQ1 iPhone shipment estimate from 48M to 44M, which is still well above widespread fears of shipments in the mid-30Ms.'
The analyst's prediction of a summer launch date for the 5S is a reiteration of claims he made last month, when he said he expects the new phone to ship in various colours and with improved battery life.
He last month also predicted that the new model could ship with a new 4.8in display, a claim he rowed back from in this week's note where he said he now expects that to be the design for a forthcoming iPhone 6.
Get the camping gear ready: Eager customers queuing outside the Apple Store in Covent Garden, London, to be among the first to get an iPhone five when it was launched in the UK in September last year
On rumours of an entry-level iPhone, Mr Misek claimed Apple could release a low-cost device made of polycarbonate with no 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) capability.
APPLE 'TO LAUNCH FIVE NEW PRODUCTS THIS YEAR'
Apple will launch five new products in the next 12 months, including its highly anticipated TV set, two leading analysts claimed today.
Analysts Gene Munster and Douglas Clinton of Piper Jaffray say the firm will launch a plethora of new products in a bid to keep its position as the world's biggest company.
However, the analysts say the new gadgets could be just the beginning of a major change in Apple's products in 2014.
The pair told Fortune magazine 2013 'will set the stage for bigger changes in the product lineup in 2014 and beyond.'
Apple is believed to develop products several years in advance, with its design team, led by British-born Sir Jonathan Ive, producing hundreds of prototype products each year.
The speculation seemed to be backed up by comments made by Paul Schiller, Apple's marketing chief, who recently told Chinese newspaper the Shanghai Evening News that 'despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, this well never be the future of Apple's products.'
Mr Misek's predictions came as a string of analysts suggested that Apple's decision to slash orders for iPhone 5 components might not be a result of weak demand for the device.
Earlier this week, MailOnline Science reported how the iconic gadget company had told suppliers it only wanted half the number of screens it had originally asked for and reduced orders for other parts too.
Apple is said to have have told its suppliers about the change last month. It will apply to orders from now until the end of March and comes after Apple has come under intense pressure from Samsung and other phones which use Google's Android operating system.
But Shaw Wu, an analyst with brokers Sterne Agee, was quoted by the Telegraph as telling investors that 'as far as we can tell, iPhone 5 demand remains robust.'
He added that the change in orders could be down to 'much improved yields meaning lower component builds and supplier shifts.'
A 12 megapixel or so camera on the 5s would look like a good bet ! - Tim Coleman, Nottingham, United Kingdom, 18/1/2013 15:59 --------- it isn't about the megapixels, its all about the quality of the lens and the analogue to digital converter which turns what you see with your eye into the file on your phone or camera. It seems quite obvious that "my phone is bigger than yours" is all the debate is about - top trumps for "adults", if you prefer.
- SayingItLikeItIs , Somewhereville, United Kingdom, 18/1/2013 18:26
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