According to typically-reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple has a slew of new products in the works for 2014. The analyst has summarized his expectations for these new products in a new research note, and has also reaffirmed some of his previous claims for products in Apple’s pipeline for the rest of Fall 2013…
The major 2014 Apple product updates that Kuo highlights revolve around MacBooks, iMacs, and iPads. Earlier this week, another analyst forecasted major updates to Apple products in the display department, and Kuo seems to agree with some of these claims. Notably, Kuo believes Apple will introduce a 12-inch Retina laptop, a sharper full-sized iPad, and a more affordable iMac desktop computer.
Here are the details from Kuo on those purported upcoming devices:
12-inch MacBook with new design + Retina Display:
- Smaller MacBook with entirely new design
- Launching in either Q2 or Q3 of 2014
- 12-inch screen, but as portable as current 11-inch MacBook Air and productive as 13-inch MacBook Air
- Higher-resolution display (Retina)
- Will “redefine laptop computing” once again just like the current MacBook Air design
- Thinner/lighter than MacBook Air, new clamshell structure
- Will run on Intel chip, not Apple-based A8 processor
- Potentially lower-cost than current Apple notebooks
Lower-cost iMac:
- Apple could ship a cheaper iMac next-year
- Current iMac did not ship as many units as expected
- Lower-cost model could help combat Windows desktops
- Kuo expects this iMac model to boost iMac sales by 10-20%
- Ship in Q2 or Q3 2014
Sixth-generation full-sized iPad:
- Would carry same 9.7-inch screen size as current iPad and upcoming iPad 5
- Display would be higher-resolution with a PPI (pixels-per-inch) of 30-40% higher than the current Retina iPad
- While iPads with larger screens have been rumored, Kuo says that Apple will likely ship this higher-resolution model instead
- Third-generation iPad mini would retain the 2048×1536 Retina display of the upcoming iPad mini 2
While many of Kuo’s claims are logical and line-up with previous reports, it is unclear if Apple truly is prepared to undergo yet another resolution change in its tablet lineup. A higher pixel count on the full-sized iPad would force App Store developers to re-create their interfaces and iPad app graphics once-again.
Tim Cook previously promised that 2014 would be a major product year for Apple, and the aforementioned new form-factors seems to line up with teases from the Apple CEO.
In addition to the aforementioned devices, Apple is expected to launch a new iPhone line next year with a larger display. Apple is also working on new TV products and wearable devices, but it is currently unclear if those are also in the cards for 2014.
As for the remainder of 2013, Apple has Haswell MacBook Pros, new Mac minis, multiple new iPads, and several new pieces of software on the docket.
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I’m not buying the higher res iPad. If a Retina display = the point at which the eye cannot discern individual pixels from the ideal distance from the display then it makes little sense to add more pixels.
Well, I’ve always thought that even though the Retina iPad has great resolution, it’s ppi is still a bit low. I actually discern pixels on it at regular length of vision. I think they should make the ppi go over 300. My dad has a Samsung Galaxy S4 and whenever I use it, everything really looks much sharper and more defined than my iPhone 5, and the iPhone 5 display is amazing also. Technology just moves forward and who knows, maybe the next iPad will support 4K.
@latinoboyboy, the Samsung you talk about look sharper due to it’s different display make, not the higher resolution. Higher resolution once you get over 300 is really a waste, because it only slows down the graphics processing ability, and eats more battery. More resolution at this point only buys bragging rights and marketing material, not anything real world useful.
I know we are all different, but how usable is a 12″ laptop?
I would struggle using something smaller than 13.3″.
Pretty usable. People have adapted to using iPad size keyboards, after all. However, I think people mainly choose the smaller Airs because they’re cheaper, not because they are more portable. Most would prefer something larger if they can afford it.
Remember when Apple had the 12-inch iBook?
Not any more or less usable than it has been for 20 years of laptops at this size.
The lingering question is: usable for what?
The answer is somewhere around “everything”. Fact is, when it comes to WORK, a laptop screen is small, regardless of it being 12″ or 15″. When it comes to content viewing, browsing, light work, any screen size will do. 11″ might be a tad too small for some tasks, but 12″ is doable.
Combine 12″ screen with ultra-high resolution and pixel density and it makes 12 inches that much more usable, since the content is crystal clear.
I used the 11″ air as my main machine for 2 years. I switched to the 13″ retina, and honestly, I think it’s too big. I want a small laptop with a discreet GPU and a high res screen…the 13″ is slow as F— thanks to Apple not including a real GPU with it. If you try to pinch to zoom in PDF files it will stutter like a crack smoker being arrested by police.
I agree, my 13″ retina is a tad sluggish. I can’t even play The Sims 3 on it smoothly, even using the lowest graphic settings.
The 15″ Retina was no better, even with a GPU. PDFs would drag it to its knees, heavy webpages like Facebook or The Verge would scroll like a slideshow when zoomed. Mavericks fixed that. It wasn’t that the Intel GPU couldn’t do the work, it was that it wasn’t being asked to do it (at least not efficiently) under Mountain Lion.
Seriously, Mavericks made my 15″ Retina feel like an entirely new machine. All the UI lag I’d learned to ignore over the last year is just gone.
iMac should really start at $999. 12 inch Retina Macbook sounds good but leaves no room for an 11″ MBA.
Pretty sure if they introduce a 12″ retina Air that it would be to replace the current models completely, unless they want to keep the 11″ Air around as a cheaper model.
Consolidating the Airs into a single small size makes sense if they are going to make the 13″ retina MBP thinner to match notebooks like the ASUS UX301. Kuo mentioned earlier this year that he expected the 13″ retina MBP to get a slimmer form factor also.
Yup, the 12″ MacBook Air should be the only size. And it should be $899.
If they were actually bumping the resolution on the iPad, id imagine that it would go along with a larger display.
iPad sector is saturated, unless they produce larger iPad I don’t care how many more pixel they squeeze in to the current one. I’m happy with my iPad3 and no need of newer model…
Saturated? Nope. Not at all.
I’m intrigued by the 12″ macbook claim. Sounds like a logical step to streamline the notebook line. Dump the 11″ and 13″ Airs and just offer a middle ground 12″ with retina display. Keep 13″ & 15″ versions of the retina Pro. If they went with a thin bezel on a 12″ screen, that would make it “as portable as the current 11-inch MacBook Air.” Makes sense to me.
And how are you gonna pack 1400×900 pixels into a 12″ display? A 13″ MBA display makes it a bit hard sometime to read websites with smaller text sizes and you just can’t decrease the resolution, because Mountain Lion isn’t resolution independent – Mavericks isn’t either, I believe.
First of all, it doesn’t mention anything about resolution for retina 12inch display in this news.
Nothing can backup your assumption.
Second, even they decide to use “1400×900″ as a default resolution, the actual pixels will be 2800*1800.
In this case, you can obviously choose equivalent resolution like ” 1280 * 768″ etc in preference.
and in my opinion, it still looks really good.
BTW: i am using 15 retina.
The Same way Google packed a 2560×1700 on the chrome pixel?
How will Apple market a higher res iPad? Retina 2.0?
Or the new gen Retina :)
Iris
wow, the 12 inch PowerBook returns!
and the info about ipad 6 means “don’t buy ipad 5!” to me
but ipad mini 2 seems like a real good deal!!!!
Reblogged this on Apple News Now.
Thanks for the spam. No one is ever going there.
Don’t be mean :( I’m just starting my blog :(
Absolutely idiotic nonsense. The rumors are switched. 12” iPad. Retina MacBook Air. THAT’S what we’ve been hearing. Not this worthless dreck.
While, usually, your posts consist of angry rhetoric seemingly make up for lack of Apple incite, this post is spot on. Looks like @9to5mac is reaching for content… I for one enjoy the articles of opinion written by the 9to5mac crew, but Seth’s Bose-sponsored post about the Bose WiFi Wave Radio (that is what it REALLY is) and this complete misfire article make me wonder WTF is going on. If there isn’t any new Apple news, write an “OPINION” article instead of this illogical crap. As a 9to5mac reader for years, I can say this post is NOT indicative of what I have come to expect from you guys. If I want ignorant vanilla nonsense from an un-Apple perspective, I would simply read Cult of Crap (Mac). This is just my opinion but I was flabbergasted to read such a pitiful article, especially from the best writer you have, Gurman.
“The offering will likely be lighter and slimmer than the existing MacBook Air to further highlight ease of portability in the cloud computing era”
Just bring a 400 to 600 g 7 to 9-inch Mac (whatever form factor: clamshell, slider or tablet). That IS portability of a full computer (not the iOS toy)!
Newer iPads are welcomed, however I’m awaiting the iMac refresh. It’s much too long overdue. The current one is very attractive, and powerful, and lacks the desired Retina display. 2014 is a long time to wait…
The iMac was refreshed several weeks ago. Stop waiting.
Waiting continues, not stops. I’m waiting for a Retina iMac.
Reblogged this on social(dot)tech.
Honestly, the weakness of the present retina iPads is not the screen, but the weight. I’d much rather an iPad with the same screen that was 20% lighter than one the same weight with a higher resolution screen.
can we make i phone 10 ??? :)
I will 100% get an iMac if its cheaper! After all, it costs $1,599 (Au) for the lowest iMac and thats just bad. I think they should be around $1,000-$1,200 (Au) at the MOST! XD
Some old Macheads here remember the 12 inch PowerBook. I believe it was one of the most popular notebooks in Apple’s lineup back then. So a 12 inch MacBook could certainly be a good idea.