Everyone in the tech industry in waiting on pins and needles for Apple to unveil its next project. Many have predicted that Apple is preparing to enter the wearable market with an smartwatch, others have brought up the possibility of a standalone television, but Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry might have given Benzinga the most peculiar prediction of all: Apple’s next product could be a 3D printer.
According to Chowdhry, not only is Apple working on a 3D printer, but Google also began work on its own all-in-one 3D printer project after learning that Apple would be entering the field.
“It’s either Apple or Microsoft [that inspired Google],” said Chowdhry. “But developers feel that Apple is probably the focus for Google because Google considers Apple to be its prime competitor, not Microsoft. And Google really sees Apple to be a strong competitor, not Microsoft, because Microsoft has a lot of issues to worry about.”
As far-fetched as this idea sounds, Apple did briefly have a hand in the printer business several years ago.
“Apple does have intellectual property [in that space],” Chowdhry continued. “And they often have more expertise in hardware development than, say, Microsoft has.”
Chowdhry ties his analysis together with Apple’s PrimeSense acquisition, a technology that he thinks could play a major part in Apple’s 3D printing plans.
Chowdhry, of course, famously said back in March that Apple only had 60 days left to release an iWatch “or they will disappear.” It’s been roughly two months since he made that remark and, amazingly, Apple is still here.
