It was the first time that Apple unveiled two different iPhones, and according to a new analyst prediction the move doesn't look like an exception, but rather the new norm.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said in a note to investors that the launch of two iPhone models was "a thoughtful approach" after interacting with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer, according to a
report by Apple Insider. The analyst feels that Apple is now set for "multiple refreshes per year" of the iPhone, similar to how it launched the iPad 3 and iPad 4 in 2012.
The analyst also feels that Apple would benefit by focusing on services, especially because it has access to customer accounts linked to credit cards and new hardware such as the Touch ID fingerprint sensor(on the iPhone 5s) for "new services revenue streams."
Apple had been following a one phone refresh in an year schedule since the launch of the first iPhone barring this year when it introduced the
iPhone 5c, a minor upgrade to the iPhone 5 that sports new colour shells instead of aluminium ones, and the
iPhone 5s, the next-generation iPhone featuring completely new hardware including a 64-bit processor.
However, if the analyst's prediction turns out to be true, it could mean that Apple may refresh the iPhone twice in an year. The move could result in some backlash as Apple's hardware is comparatively more expensive than its contemporaries. Also, it offers software support for a longer time, with even three year old iPhones getting the latest iteration of the OS.