When Will Apple Release the iPhone 5S, iPad Mini 2?

Apple AAPL surprised the world by releasing a cornucopia of upgrades in time for Thanksgiving. From the iPod Nano and iPad Mini to the iPod Touch and the iPhone 5, Apple spared no expense in making sure that every product was refreshed. Even the 13-inch MacBook Pro (which had been tweaked over the summer) received a bonus upgrade in the form of a Retina Display and a solid state drive, as well as a thinner and lighter body. While the company's product onslaught may prove to be beneficial when Apple reports its earnings results at the end of the month, it has struck fear in analysts and investors who wonder what the company will release during the first and second quarters of 2013. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities, Apple might not release much of anything until the third quarter. Kuo has outlined a list of prospective release dates for 2013. In the third quarter Apple enthusiasts can apparently look forward to the release of the iPhone 5S, a modified iPod Touch, another iPod Nano refresh, the long-awaited iPad Mini 2 and a "new design Retina MacBook Pro." That lineup alone could have the potential to carry Apple for the rest of the year. The company is not stopping there, however. In the earlier part of the fourth quarter, Kuo believes that Apple will release an upgraded iMac, as well as another Mac Mini -- but not a new Mac Pro. Where does that leave the first half of 2013? By the end of the first quarter, Apple is expected to release the next iteration of its Apple TV set-top box. At the tail end of the second quarter, Apple will release another version of the MacBook Air. Kuo does not expect the Air to contain a Retina Display. Rather, it may simply receive the new Haswell platform from Intel INTC. That marks the end of Kuo's predictions. If they are accurate, it would mean that Apple's first- and second-quarter lineups would contain only one product each. That could put a strain on Apple as it attempts to win back investors ahead of the third-quarter bombshell. Miraculously, Apple is up more than three percent today. This is arguably the first meaningful gain the company has had this month. Year-to-date, Apple is down more than 11 percent. Apple lost more than 19 percent of its value during the last three months of 2012. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ