Almost Every Apple Product Will Have An Update In 2012, Say Analysts [Analyst Reports Suggest That Nearly Every Product In Apple's Inventory Will Get Some Kind Of Update With The New Year]

Posted on TFTS by Steve Anderson on Wednesday, 21. December 2011 under: Computers & Computing, Mobile/Cell Phones, PCs, Notebooks, Netbooks & Tablets

You’ve got to love analyst reports; wrong or right, rational or crazy, narrow-focus or wide-sweeping, they’re almost never dull. And Gene Munster out at Piper Jaffray is putting out a whole new report that suggests Apple’s going to have a whole lot of news for us to come in 2012.

Basically, Munster’s report suggests that the updates for Apple products aren’t likely to be quite as widespread as we’d first envisioned, but they would be somewhat broader than expected. Almost the entirety of the Apple product line, according to Munster, will have at least some update in the next year.

First, Munster believes that the iPhone 5 will likely hit in the middle of 2012, as opposed to later on in the year the way the iPhone 4S did, and could offer up both 4G LTE connectivity as well as a near-field communications system to process payments and the like.

Meanwhile, in response to earlier reports that we may see up to three different iPad models in 2012, Munster puts something of a crimp on that one, believing that there will be just one revamped iPad. He does, however, acknowledge the possibility of a second version–an upper-end model that’s more of a full revamp and a lower-end entry-level sort, which would allow the iPad to compete more readily with the likes of the surprisingly popular Kindle Fire and the less popular Nook Color.

And in perhaps the strangest prediction of all, Munster looks for 2012 to be a worse year for Apple than 2011 was. Munster’s current prediction does see growth for Apple in calendar year 2013, but only between 14 and 28 percent based on certain actions Apple can take right now, including the possibility of bringing out a budget model iPad.

Naturally, any of this could be proven wrong by time. But none of the ideas that Munster advances are exactly out of line, especially given what we’ve already heard so far and the current conditions on the ground. A dip in Apple’s growth makes sense against the backdrop of a weakened global economy, and a budget iPad makes particular sense, plus lines up with earlier reports. And let’s face it, I think we were all expecting the iPhone 5 this year anyway.

But what do you guys think? Is Munster’s report out of line? Or does it sound rational, all things considered? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section and fill us in!