All indications point to an iPhone 6S release date immediately after the September 9 event reportedly set by Apple. But with the tech giant make a last minute change of plan and unleash the iPhone 7 instead next month?
In the past months, analysts have been providing a positive outlook on the next iPhone saying that the upcoming will surpass the record set by the iPhone 6 in December 2015. Apple closed the 2015 by clearing out nearly 75 million of freshly-minted iPhones and the credit was given to the duo of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
A number of market watchers predicted that history will repeat itself for Apple this year and the iPhone maker will wrap up 2015 with a wide grin, generated by some 230 million shipments in the year. It is projected that the company will finally breach the 75-million mark as smartphone buyers worldwide rush to take home the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.
But a new KGI Security report begs to differ. The investment firm, according to Phone Arena, is saying that surely Apple will haul in the big numbers when the smoke clears right after the Christmas season rush but it is also convinced that the 6S and 6S Plus will not be as hot as their predecessors. This means Apple will sell big with its 2015 smartphone bets, which likely will also include the 4-inch iPhone 4C, but it will be steep climb to reach the level registered by the iPhone 6 last year.
Two things will work against Apple's iPhone this year, the KGI report said. China, which proved a main revenue generator for the company starting in Q4 2014, will not be so excited this year. Same goes for other markets around the world as KGI said that the purported 6S banner features - iOS 9, A9 chip and Force Touch - are not compelling upgrade prompts.
It appears too that the smaller iPhone 6C - a premium but smaller iOS smartphone - is not much of a contribution despite new claims by @evleaks that the handset is touching down with the 6S and 6S Plus.
Provided the latest KGI reading is based on solid data then all hopes are lost for Apple to better its iPhone 6 performance. One option available for the company though is to ditch the iPhone 6S, seen as but an incremental upgrade, and go ahead with the more exciting iPhone 7.
But time is not an ally of Apple on this matter. At best, a forced iPhone 7 release date this year will merely amount to a rebranding with Apple fans getting nearly the same package offered last year though laced with minor bumps.