It’s been a while since Apple announced a new product launch; in fact, when the iPhone 5S or 6 is released this Autumn, it will have been almost a year since something new emerged from the tech giant. We at The Practice can’t help but wonder two things- how will this affect growth, and what is the company planning in the meantime?

Apple’s movement has a huge impact on an array of businesses, filtering down to smaller companies such as app developers, who typically experience flourishing sales when customers eagerly purchase new apps for their latest devices. Denys Zhadanov, marketing director at Readdle, which produces iOS apps including Calendar+ ad Scanner Pro, is one feeling Apple’s apparent stagnation: “Usually when they launch a new iPad or iPhone, we see a huge number of new customers buying apps.” “The lack of the new iPad model this spring had a pretty noticeable effect on our sales,” he added. Predictably, we feel that digital sales might not see much in the way of growth; new customers are increasingly drawn to the world of ecommerce via new devices; currently, companies have not been presented with the opportunity to create updated interface formats for these, meaning it will be harder to generate momentum and attract a greater number of consumers. Indeed, Monica Ray, executive vice-president of consumer marketing at Conde Nast argues: “Apple’s new product launches have consistently increased digital sales, as customers are introduced or reintroduced to our brands on new devices and platforms.”

So in lieu of any visible growth, just what have Apple been working on of late? As The Practice team explored before, the future of 3D printed liquid metal is set to shake up the mobile manufacturing industry, and it seems Apple are set to incorporate this in the near future. Just this week, the company were awarded a patent for the use of liquid metal in their products- something Apple had anticipated since purchasing patented fabrication processing rights from Liquidmetal Tecchnologies back in 2010. This technology will allow the tech conglomerate to create strong and malleable iPhone or iPad parts including casings and other thin components.

Aside from experimenting with emerging technology, Apple are also rumoured to have a larger iPad and iPhone in the works. The company has reportedly been testing a 13-inch iPad and an iPhone with a larger screen- in excess of four inches, according to The Wall Street Journal. The current iPad screen measures 9.7 inches, meaning a larger size would take it into “phablet” territory, putting it in competition with current models such as the Samsung Galaxy Note. And if this wasn’t enough, it’s alleged that the company are also interested in offering a budget plastic iPhone to be launched in the summer of next year- for even as little as $99. But this all begs the question- is Apple taking on too much all at once? Should the company just focus on bringing us one new product before it starts announcing more? (You can see we’re just desperate for something new to get our hands on!)

Are you looking forward to the launch of the iPhone 6, (or possibly 5S!) And do you think Apple’s relatively quiet position will cause a slowdown for other businesses in the meantime? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please tweet to and follow us on Twitter @PracticeDigital, and share your comments on our Facebook page.