If the never-ending rumors about the iPhone 5 aren't proof enough, people are extremely interested in Apple's next-generation smartphone. An analyst has now weighed in on that chatter, and predicts "unprecedented" demand for the new iPhone.
RBC Capital analyst Mike Abramsky has increased his first quarter 2012 iPhone sales prediction to 27 million from 24.4 million and fiscal year 2012 estimates from 105 million to 110 million.
The report signals "unprecedented iPhone 5 demand and strong back-to-school iPad buying intentions."
Of the 2,200 people surveyed by RBC in August, 31 percent were somewhat or very likely to buy the iPhone 5, up from the 25 percent who said the same ahead of the iPhone 4 launch. About 66 percent of existing iPhone users want to upgrade to the new iPhone.
If Apple expands the number of carriers offering the iPhone, meanwhile, 54 percent of Sprint subscribers and 53 percent of T-Mobile subscribers said they would lean toward the iPhone when buying a new smartphone.
The iPad is not losing steam, meanwhile. Of those thinking about buying a tablet, 85 percent would buy the iPad, up from 82 percent in February, according to data from ChangeWave, cited in today's note. As a result, Abramsky raised RBC's fourth quarter iPad estimate to 12.5 million from 10.5 million.
Current rumors suggest that Apple will unveil the new iPhone later this month and start selling it in mid-October, though nothing has been announced. Earlier this month, there were reports that Germany's Deutsche Telekom was taking pre-orders for the device, even though it had yet to be unveiled. But will Apple unveil a new iPhone 5 or the "baby" iPhone 4S? And will it come to other carriers? Time will tell.
Losing track of all the Apple iPhone 5 rumors? Be sure to check out What the iPhone 5 Might Look Like and Six Amazing Phone Technologies We Want in iPhone 5, as well as the 8 Likely iPhone 5 Rumors, and 2 Wild Ones slideshow below.