14 DAY TRIAL // Apple will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone next year with what’s expected to be called the iPhone 8, and reports coming from people with knowledge of the matter indicate that the upcoming model will represent a complete overhaul of the existing generation.
And because of that, top Apple KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that the iPhone 8 would be the best-selling iPhone ever, with the OLED screen and the wireless charging to be the most compelling features for buyers.
Specifically, the Apple analyst says that he learned from sources from the supply chain that Cupertino wants to build between 120 million and 150 million iPhone units in the second half of 2018, and if all of them are sold, the next-year model will become the most successful iPhone ever.
“To our understanding, while demand visibility in 2H17F is as yet unclear and presumed pull-in demand may change anytime, upstream suppliers may be around now setting ramp-up targets for new iPhone pull-in of somewhere between 120mn and 150mn units in 2H17F, exceeding previous iPhone 6, 6s and 7 cycles of 110-120mn, 100-110mn and 90-100mn units, respectively. In other words, ramp-up for 2H17F pull-in may exceed the previous peak for iPhone 6, and hit a historical high,” the analyst was quoted as saying.
Wireless charging on the 4.7-inch iPhone 8
We’ve known for a while that the iPhone 8 could come with a new model, and now Ming-Chi Kuo reiterates the same plans.
In addition to the standard 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhones, Apple is expected to introduce a third configuration that could come with a curved OLED screen, but its dimensions are still unclear. Some sources claim it could feature a 5.5-inch display, others point to 5.7 inches, but there are also rumors that the new iPhone might actually be 5.2 inches in size.
The analyst claims that the 4.7-inch iPhone could also feature a glass casing and wireless charging, and this confirms that Apple still bets big on the standard iPhone model, although it’s still pushing for better sales of the Plus.
The next-generation iPhone is likely to go live in September 2017, so expect more such rumors to see daylight in the coming months.