If you’re excited to see what Apple has planned for us this year, then you’ll be very interested in this roadmap, showing an analyst’s prediction of what’s to come from the firm during 2014. It’s the work of KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, and it does a good job of visualizing what we’ve been hearing about Apple’s new hardware over the past months.
It shows the year split up into quarters, and if it’s accurate, then we shouldn’t expect anything until the second half of the year, and even then Apple may focus on its Mac computer range. Kuo speculates we could be introduced to a low cost iMac around June time, which would fit in with the timing of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference event.
Fast forward to September, and things start to get very exciting. The analyst predicts we’ll finally see a new iPhone model, boasting a large 4.7-inch display, an upgrade to the iPad Air and the iPad Mini, plus the debut of Apple’s long-rumored iWatch. Kuo also states the watch will come in two different sizes, something we have seen hinted at before, presumably to make it more attractive to men and women.
Moving into October, and another long-rumored product may be announced: an updated Apple TV. Now, this probably won’t be the Apple television set, but it may be a slimmed down Apple TV set top box, ready to compete with new hardware such as Google’s Chromecast. It is a little later than previously rumored though.
Kuo doesn’t end here either, and right at the end of 2014, says he expects another iPhone to be released, this time with a massive 5.5-inch display. The iPhone roadmap fits in with other rumors we’ve heard recently, indicating the company was having production difficulties with the 5.5-inch iPhone, forcing it to stagger the release of it and the 4.7-inch device.
Remember, these are all predictions from an analyst, and may not come true. There’s also the chance Apple will end up altering plans as the year progresses, so don’t take any of this as absolute fact. However, if we really aren’t expecting any new hardware from Apple until after summer, then we should expect another all-software WWDC show.
