Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to unveil a low priced iMac in 2014, according to a report from AppleInsider citing Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities. Kuo said that Apple tags high prices to its current iMac and with the arrival of the low cost gadget, shipments are expected to rise. Cost of an entry level iMac at present is $1,299.
Other expected launches from Apple
Kuo is expecting Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to launch its third version of iPad mini next year. A second generation iPad mini is due to launch at an event on October 22nd. The analyst also believes that Apple will come up with a 12-inch Retina laptop, a sharper full sized iPad and a lower price iMac desktop computer.
New MacBook with Retina display
According to Kuo, 12 inch MacBook with new design and Retina display MacBook will be smaller. The new MacBook will be launched either in the second quarter or third quarter of 2014. The display size will be 12 inch, but the new gadget will be handy like the 11 inch MacBook Air and will be efficient as 13 inch MacBook Air. The new gadget will “redefine laptop computing” once again, according to Kuo. He believes that it will be lighter and thinner with a new clamshell structure. Apple will power this smaller MacBook with an Intel chip rather than an Apple based A8 processor. The Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s new MacBook will come with a lighter price than current ones.
Lower cost iMac and iPad 5
Kuo expects that the lower cost iMac will give stiff competition to Windows desktops as sales of the current iMac did not meet expectations. The low cost will potentially increase sales by 10-20 percent. iMac, like MacBook, is also expected ship in the second quarter or third quarter of 2014.
KGI analysts also believe that Apple will launch the iPad 5 and the current iPad with a screen size of 9.7 inch. The newer ipads will have higher resolution with a PPI (pixels per inch) 30-40 percent higher than the current Retina iPad.
Kuo’s reports are similar to previous reports from other analysts and industry experts, but it is not clear as of now whether Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will bring transition in its tablet by changing their resolution. If the company brings in higher resolution and more pixels on the full sized iPad, then the interface will have to be readjusted along with the graphics.
