Several solid reports over the past few weeks have stated that Apple’s next-generation iPhone 6 will finally feature a larger display. Following The Wall Street Journal’s claims from early September suggesting Apple is testing screen sizes as large as 6 inches for its next iPhone, well-respected analyst Peter Misek and DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh have both stated that the iPhone 6 will sport a larger display that measures just under 5 inches diagonally. Adding more fuel to the fire, Cantor Fitzgerald’s Brian White came away from a recent meeting with an unnamed Apple component supplier completely convinced that next year’s iPhone 6 will finally sport a bigger screen.
“Our meeting with a tech supply chain vendor highlighted a bigger iPhone is in the works, and our contact expects a launch in the 2Q:14/3Q:14 time frame,” White wrote in a research note on Thursday morning. “Nearly a year ago, our research in Asia uncovered early stage work on a larger iPhone, and we indicated in our Apple initiation report dated 9/4/13 that ‘a larger screen size on the iPhone is possible in 2014 that could approach 5 inches.’ Given today’s meeting, we are confident that a larger iPhone (approximately five inches) will become a reality in 2014.”
Jefferies & Co.’s Peter Misek said that the iPhone 6’s display will measure 4.8 inches diagonally and DisplaySearch believes Apple will use a 4.7 inch panel.
Moving beyond the iPhone 6, White sees Apple finally launching its much-rumored iWatch soon as well. He believes the device will be much more than just a smartwatch, however, which might be a good thing considering how bad recent smartwatches have been.
“Our contact also discussed the ‘iWatch.’ Although thoughts around the ‘iWatch’ have been widely covered by the media, this potential device has yet to be launched, and the use case discussions have been rather rudimentary,” White wrote. “As an Apple supplier, our contact offered insight into the ‘iWatch’ and described this potential new device as much more than an extension of your iPhone but as a multi-purpose gateway in allowing consumers to control their home (i.e., heating/cooling, lights, audio, video, etc.). We found this discussion interesting as it opened our eyes to why the ‘iWatch’ has the potential to appeal to a much broader audience of consumers than just another mobile device.”
White reiterated his Buy rating on Apple shares with a 12-month price target of $777.
