Analysts Believe Huge iPhone 5, iPad 3 Sales Will Be Driven by 4G LTE
Posted by Michael Nace on Monday Feb 20, 2012 Under Apple News, iPad 3, iPhone 5 PredictionsFor all of the excitement over retina displays, bigger screens, and new form factors, tech analysts now believe that 4G LTE will be the upgraded feature on the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 that will drive massive sales in 2012.
With so much emphasis placed on the look and screen size of the upcoming iPhone 5, as well as the bumped-up display of the iPad 3, it would seem that these feature upgrades are of the upmost importance to mobile users in 2012. Tech analysts, however, now believe that it is the inclusion of 4G LTE technology on the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 that will drive big sales for Apple in 2012.
A recent report from Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu indicates that all signs definitively point to b0th the iPad 3 and iPhone 5 getting 4G LTE treatment, based on “supply-side” information gained from industry insiders. In other words, 4G LTE components are being bought by Apple and shipped to their assembly plants.
Inrumor is reporting on some of these findings, revealing how the market is perceiving the inclusion of 4G LTE on the iPad and iPhone, and that the iPad 3 will be a crossover device that utilizes both 3G and 4G networks: “The report also speculated that the next iPad will revert to 3G tech, which doesn’t carry LTE, before the end of 2013 when analysts expect that 80% of Americans will enjoy LTE. However, Wu estimates that the technology will help boost sales.”
Wu sees this 4G flexibility as a major selling point: “We believe this significant refresh will likely help drive higher iPad sales and help further differentiate from arguably the only real competitor in the market, Amazon’s Kindle Fire and not to mention the myriad of Android offerings out there,” adding that “We are currently modeling 51 million iPad shipments for CY12 and believe this could turn out conservative.”
Wu adds that he fully expects the iPhone 5 to be 4G as well, and will benefit greatly from it: “We view the potential inclusion of 4G LTE for iPad as a positive and a good indicator that the upcoming iPhone 5 refresh in the fall time frame will likely include this key feature as well,” While I do not agree with the Fall timeframe for its release, I do agree that 4G on the iPhone 5 will make total sense, even if 4G LTE is not anticipated to go mainstream until 2013. In this way, 2012′s iPad 3 and iPhone 5 will be crossover devices that allow Apple to move into further LTE implementations, having these two models already under their belts.
By Michael Nace
Michael Nace is the Publisher of the iPhone 5 News Blog and iPhone 6 News Blog. He has published articles about the iPhone since 2010.
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February 20th, 2012 at 3:03 pm
So just to clarify, there’s really no possible way Apple could go without making the iPhone 5 LTE capable right? I mean it would be stupid not to correct? And I think with Verizon Wireless recently stating that all smartphones are going to be preferably 4G from now on that’s an indication that Apple will have to make their phone LTE capable to be able to compete with other smartphones in the market both on Verizon’s wireless network and others.
I think that as long as the iPhone 5 is 4G LTE capable and also a different form factor then they can guarantee immense success. But seriously though, I wouldn’t have a problem with the same form factor as the 4/4S but maybe with a slightly larger screen, say 4 inches max. I have a Samsung Fascinate that I’m using currently and I thought 4 inches would be way to big but really, it’s not that bad. Now 5.6 inches is just ridiculous.
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February 20th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
I agree with SpasticPat really LTE is a no brainer, no it’s not a selling point to me they need more than just LTE and hope they get by. Listen Apple gets up on stage, “Hey, the newest and most coolest feature of the next iPhone is the LTE”. Wait… What? Every new phone coming out to date will have LTE if not it is a cheap phone made for a teens first phone. LTE is not the only thing Apple needs to do for me. We know obviously slapping LTE on the next iPhone with the same stuff in it as the iPhone 4s, will still sell like hot cakes. For the most part if I wanted a iPhone 4s I would have it right now in my hands. So no, I’m aiming for more than LTE in the next iPhone improved camera sure, bigger screen yes, more ram- yes, better Siri- yes, better processor- yes. There is more to me and possible a few thousands or millions more who don’t just want LTE as a key selling point that Apple hopes everyone will buy off of. Apple is great, so are many other companies. Sorry for the rant but it’s just my thought because more or less Apple could read this post and possibly the comments as well and maybe they could keep this into consideration.
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February 20th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Dear Michael:
The mobile version is a little funky and hard to use. Please revert the site back to it’s older self.
My apologies for rudeness,
Cristian.
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February 20th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
LOL Cristian! I’m in one of those situations where I’m trying to please all of the people all of the time. Folks are complaining that the new site’s theme isn’t smartphone friendly, so I put up the mobile version.
The good news is that you can revert back to the desktop version yourself. If you scroll down to the bottom of the mobile version, you’ll see a button to switch to the desktop version.
My apologies for the growing pains, everyone! I just want to get this right so that “most of the people are happy most of the time.”
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February 21st, 2012 at 6:33 pm
I just couldn’t find that! I finally found this weird looking square with a bar under it ( which actually means desktop) so I’ve been trying to get around the site with that. Thank you! The mobile version looks great it just doesn’t let me “click”l
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February 27th, 2012 at 8:08 am
I disagree
Sure 4G LTE is a nice little extra which Apple will include but more as a selling gimmick but I think the buyer of smart phones have matured and are now more interested in what a phone will do for them and their needs not what gimmicks have Apple included.
I know when I am looking to buy a phone one of the last things I would take into account is does it have 4G or not?
I am interested in screen size, battery life, memory and the whole package and if its got the other things I want but no 4G I couldn’t care less but if it has 4G well thats nice bonus but nothing more.
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March 8th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Well the iPad 3 has been officially been released and all I can say about it is RUBBISH, its barely even an upgrade
HIgher resolution imaged
A 5mp camera
4G
The new processor ( A5X ) sounds to me like a beefed up A5 rather than a brand new A6
The camera is only 5mp compared to the iPhone 4s 8mp
No Siri.
No memory upgrades as standard which the iPad has been very badly in need of since the iPad 1
The iPad 3 will of course sell because it is the iPad but I very much doubt the industry will be raving about it, Apple seem to be off the mark and not delivering anything that really raises eyebrows the way there were doing on a regular basis under Steve Jobs watch.
The IPhone 4S was very late and just an upgrade rather than the much anticipated iPhone 5
The iPad 3 is barely even an upgrade as the only thing thats really new is the fact that it included 4G and even with that in most countries the infrastructure doesn’t exist for even using 4G.
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