This week, Apple held a conference call to announce its second quarter financial results, and while money matters topped the list of discussion points, CEO Tim Cook did talk about the company’s plans for future product launches. He didn’t say anything specific, obviously, and while we can read a fair amount in to Cook’s words, above all he told us the quiet start to 2013 will continue.
After saying Apple will, “Continue to do what we do best… creating innovative products,” Cook told the listening reporters, “Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software and services we can’t wait to introduce this fall and throughout 2014.” He ended by saying Apple is, “Very confident in our future product plans.”
We haven’t seen a new product launch from Apple since last year, and despite many expecting a new iPad to have been announced by now, the fifth-generation version of the tablet has yet to be revealed. Judging by Tim Cook’s statement, we won’t be seeing one this side of the summer either. Traditionally, the iPad has been the focal point of a springtime Apple event, but the fourth generation iPad was announced in October last year alongside the iPad Mini, so it looks like Apple will continue with this schedule for 2013.
New products, expanded distribution
Don’t worry though, this probably won’t simply be a year for revised versions of existing hardware – the aforementioned iPad 5 and the incoming iPhone 5S, which incidentally also seems like it won’t be meeting the optimistically rumored summer launch – as the emphasis is on new products. Rumors of a smartwatch have taken the world by storm already this year, with an Apple iWatch leading the charge, plus there’s the good old standby that is the Apple television. Both of these are possibilities for the near future, plus, we could get something that hasn’t been leaked out yet.
Additionally, Cook talked about, “Expanded distribution,” and smartphone market growth during the earnings call. It’ll be in emerging markets where much of the smartphone growth will come over the next few years, all of which could be taken as further hints the company intends to introduce a lower cost iPhone model.
Ultimately, all we can ascertain for sure from Tim Cook’s statement is we won’t be seeing anything new launched until after the summer. The Worldwide Developer Conference will surely give us a look at what’s to come, such as iOS 7, but as for something we can actually get our hands on, we’re all going to have to be patient and wait until the end of this year, and into 2014.
