4 Apple Inc. Leaks From Foxconn Insider (AAPL): Fact or Fiction?

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An employee of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.-ADR (OTCMKTS:HNHPF) — better known as Foxconn — took to Reddit where they spilled the beans on several of Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) upcoming products. Included topics of conversation in this Apple leak were the iPhone 8, Siri speaker, iMac, a 2018 MacBook Pro refresh and Apple AR glasses.

4 Apple Inc. Leaks From Foxconn Insider (AAPL): Fact or Fiction?

Source: Foxconn

While the no-one can vouch for the accuracy of the information, Reddit moderators did verify the poster was indeed a Foxconn employee.

Here are some highlights of what the Apple leaker had to say about the company’s forthcoming products during the Reddit AMA session.

Apple Leak: Apple AR Glasses

There have been pretty solid rumors of Apple-branded augmented reality glasses since CES 2017. The Foxconn insider had key details about the product, which they referred to as “Project Mirrorshades.”

The Apple AR glasses supposedly featured sensors for tracking user movement, bone conduction audio, the ability to take phone calls with Siri control, a 482 x 240 resolution prism display on the lens, separate men’s and women’s frames, a 2019 launch date and a roughly $600 retail price.

However, they claim there is a 65% chance the Apple AR glasses would be cancelled because the specialized Capacitive Pavel Ceramic battery is difficult to produce.

Apple Leak: iPhone 8

The Foxconn insider has a few things to say about the forthcoming iPhone 8, which they referred to as the iPhone X —a name that we’ve heard thrown around already. The insider claims to have seen a prototype in January, that it looked like an iPhone 7 with thinner vertical bezels and no Touch ID scanner on the back. However, it’s claimed that fingerprint scanners below the glass were suffering poor yields.

Apple Leak: Siri Speaker

The Foxconn insider confirmed expectations of a Siri-enabled smart speaker that resembles a Mac Pro. They claim to have seen prototypes with a camera and a display, but say AAPL ditched those features for the final version. They also confirmed that Foxconn had lost the contract to manufacture the Siri speaker to another company, and claim its release is delayed until late 2017.

Apple Leak: 2018 iMac and MacBook Pro

There’s a good chance that we’ll see a revised MacBook Pro at WWDC 2017. However, it’s been expected that any change will be internal — primarily, new Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) CPUs. The Foxconn insider agrees, but suggests the 2018 MacBook Pro will feature a major redesign, with AAPL doubling down on the programmable OLED Touch Bar by replacing the entire keyboard with “e-paper smart keys.”

Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.

Also discussed was the iMac. According to the Foxconn insider, the 2017 refresh promised by Apple will be internal only. New CPUs again, and maybe some other improvements. However, the source claims 2018 will be more interesting with a 2018 iMac design that features more glass, a black finish and a glowing Apple logo that’s a micro LED panel.

How Likely Is Any of This to Be True?

Any AAPL leaks must be taken with a big grain of salt. Reddit moderators did verify that the Apple leak poster was indeed employed by Foxconn, and could have access to discussed product details. Reddit participants spent much of the initial conversation grilling them about NDAs and the selling of AAPL-related intelligence to analysts, probing for the risks and potential reward to an employee for such reveals. AppleInsider, for one, suggests any information from the Foxconn insider should be looked at with “a great deal of skepticism.

The first hint about the accuracy of these Apple leaks could come as soon as today. AAPL is holding its WWDC 2017 keynote and it’s possible that the Siri speaker could see its debut. Either way, it seems clear that Foxconn and AAPL don’t have the information chain locked down as tightly as they thought, and with Foxconn employees earning just $133 a week (one of the Reddit questions), the temptation to sell info to analysts and rumor sites will remain high.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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