Expected products include prepaid iPhone 4, IGZO screen upgrades

Yet another analyst firm has made its Apple prognostications for calendar year 2013. Investment firm Jefferies has guessed that Apple is going to launch its highly-anticipated television set in fall of 2013, bolstered by an "iPhone 5S" in June or July. The firm also believes a fifth-generation iPad will be be released in June, with an IGZO screen.

The research document, penned by Jefferies analysts Peter Misek, has no supporting data. Despite the lack of solid proof, Misek believes that "iTV prototypes are also floating around. Gesture and voice control along with new user interface are the main innovations." UK broadcast network iTV owns the name selected by Misek for the product, and has indicated it will not license the name to Apple (former CEO Steve Jobs wanted the name for the Apple TV) so the product would have to be named something else on release.

Possible updates to the next iPhone are listed as a Sharp-manufactured IGZO screen that the analyst calls a "Retina+" display, as well as models with 128GB of storage and multiple color options beyond just black and white.

A prepaid low-cost iPhone is also expected by Misek, but he says that the project is "not greenlit yet." He expects a pricepoint for a new device between $200 and $250 for a retooled iPhone 4 with a "scaled-down modem, apps processor, etc."

Misek sees the fifth-generation iPad as boasting significantly reduced weight, and half the thickness of the current model. No source for any of the predictions are named, other than alleged reports from Misek's "industry sources."

by MacNN Staff