Despite ‘mounting’ pressure, Apple not seen releasing ‘iPhablet’ until middle of next year

Given that smartphone users seem increasingly drawn toward larger displays, Apple could be feeling some pressure to come out with its own “iPhablet” to offer its users a larger alternative to the 4-inch iPhone 5. But Barron’s points us to a recent Bloomberg TV interview with Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, who says that we shouldn’t get our hopes up for a larger version of the iPhone anytime soon. Misek says that based on his firm’s “research on Apple’s technology, we don’t think they can produce a larger screen iPhone until the middle of next year” at the very earliest, by which time Samsung will likely have already released new versions of both its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note lines of devices. Misek also says that “pressure for a larger-screen phone will continue to mount” in the coming months, especially if Samsung’s 5-inch Galaxy S4 sells as well as early projections have indicated.