If you’re still scratching your head trying to figure out whyhigh profile investor Carl Icahnjust made a [rumored] $1 billion investment in Apple, consider this: the stock is down more than $200 from where it was a year ago, despite any major missteps, and the company is about to have anotherbig fall.
How big? Well rumor has it that Apple is going to unveil two new handsets during its big media event next month. There’sthe iPhone 5S, the successor to the current iPhone, and the ‘iPhone 5C,’ an all-new low-cost model. And analysts believe that the two will make for Apple’s biggest product launch ever…
Benzingareports (viaBGR):
“Trip Chowdhry, the Managing Director of Equity Research at Global Equities Research, is convinced that it will set a new record for the company.
“The new iPhones will be massively successful,” Chowdhry told Benzinga this morning. “This will be the most successful product launch ever in the history of Apple.”
And not only is Apple expected to launch two handsets this fall, but each of them should be crowd pleasers. First, there’s the iPhone 5S, which is believed include a built-in fingerprint sensor (not a common smartphone feature). And then there’s the budget iPhone, which will come in various colors for around $300.
budget iPhone concept via Martin Hajek
Add this to the swirling rumors of aredesigned iPad 5and new iPad mini also landing this fall, and it’s not hard to see why investors are getting excited about Apple again. Icahn’s not the only one—the company’s stock has beenslowly climbingsince late June, where it dipped down to $390 per share. Now it’s at $490.
But for Apple to hit Chowdhry’s goal of the ‘most successful product launch ever,’ it’s going to have to sell a lot of iPhones. Last year, with the redesigned iPhone 5, it sold 2 million units during the first 24 hours of pre-orders, and went on to sell 5 millionduring opening weekend. So it certainly has its work cut out for it.
What do you think, will the 5S/5C make for Apple’s biggest product launch ever?
