iPhone 5S Specs: New A7 chip with 1GB RAM, 8MP Camera with F/2.0 Aperture, Fingerprint sensor, 128GB model, Gold color option [Analyst]

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report to clients where he has updated his predictions for the iPhone 5S.

Ming-Chi Kuo has a good track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s product plans.


Here are some of the highlights from his latest research note.

He claims that iPhone 5S will be powered by a new A7 chip with 1GB LPDDR3 RAM, a sapphire Home button with fingerprint sensor.
He also expects it to feature an 8-megapixel camera like the iPhone 5, but with larger f/2.0 aperature, which should improve low-light performance.
He also claims that iPhone 5S will be available in new gold color.
He also expects Apple to offer a high-end 128GB storage option.
He doesn’t expect iPhone 5S to come with NFC capabilities.
He had this to say about 1GB RAM (which would be the same as iPhone 5):

We reckon A7 will upgrade memory bandwidth spec to LPDDR3 from LPDDR2 adapted by A6, in an effort to improve system performance. Since Apple is in charge of both hardware  and OS design, it is capable of minimalizing memory capacity at an optimized state. Therefore, A7’s RAM will likely be unchanged at 1GB.

Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to sell 35 million iPhone 5S units in 2013 as long as fingerprint reader manufacturers can meet the demand. That number doesn’t include iPhone previous generation models and the low-cost iPhone 5C.

We’ve been conflicting reports about the amount of RAM and iPhone 5S’ camera. Vietnamese site Tinhte has claimed the new A7 chip will come with 2GB RAM and there have been reports that iPhone 5S will feature a 12-megapixel camera.

Apple will reportedly launch the next generation iPhone and perhaps even the rumored budget iPhone 5C at a media event on September 10.

Let us know what you think of the specs. Will you buy or upgrade to iPhone 5S?