Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been known for just doing its own thing, which is why we have the iPhone to begin with, but there’s a debate about whether the company needs to get with the program and release an iPhone 6 with a larger screen. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek says we’ll see one in June 2014, but some say it will be this year, while others say we will never see an iPhone with a larger screen.
Apple’s Innovation
The key here is innovation. If Apple really does have other, better products in the pipeline, we might not see an iPhone 6 with a larger screen. And if it doesn’t then an iPhone with a larger screen may be an important addition to the company’s product portfolio. It all comes down to whether Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) can blaze a new trail like it did under Steve Jobs with the iPhone. Refreshing the same old products isn’t enough anymore. Investors and consumers want more.
Of course there are other predictions in Misek’s report this week as well. He expects fingerprint verification, which isn’t much of a leap because Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) did acquire the identity verification company AuthenTec recently. And a digital wallet isn’t much of a surprise either because that’s simply the direction every company is going in.
There’s no doubt that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) must improve the iPhone’s specs as well. Competitors are coming out with multiple faster and better-looking devices much more quickly than Apple can update the only smartphone it has in its product portfolio. And don’t forget that Apple has some of the highest profit margins in the industry, so consumers are paying a premium price for devices that don’t have the highest specs—just because they say “Apple” on them.
Will iPhone 6 be an innovation?
The bottom line is that it’s time for the company to innovate, and an iPhone 6 with a bigger screen won’t be much of an innovation. But only time will tell if that’s all Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) can come up with next.
