Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be released next week and excitement is building.
Various reports suggest the new iPhone will come in a number of models, but bigger screens to match those by rivals Samsung, HTC, Sony, Nokia and LG are widely expected.
And one Australian company is widely expected to benefit from the arrival of the iPhone 6 at the expense of its rivals. That company is Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS). The giant telco has traditionally benefitted the most from new releases of Apple's iPhones, and this time appears to be no exception.
Morgan Stanley Research analysts expect Telstra to extend its domination of the mobile market, garnering an additional $500 million in revenue. The analysts have forecast that Telstra is likely to add an extra 465,000 mobile customers during this financial year – taking its subscriber base to 16.5 million users.
By comparison, Optus – owned by Singapore Telecommunications (ASX: SGT) – is reported to have 9.4 million customers and Vodafone – partly owned by Hutchison Telecommunications Australia (ASX: HTA) – with 4.96 million users.
A recent report noted that 45% of iPhones in Australia used Telstra's mobile network, with 27% on Optus and 26% on Vodafone. Telstra's 4G network has widely been touted as the best, widest coverage and fastest mobile network in Australia. From personal experience I can vouch for that, having travelled to several locations around Australia, where the only phones with reception were those on the Telstra network.
But Optus and Vodafone are rapidly rolling out their 4G networks, and see the launch of the iPhone 6 as a means to improve their falling subscriber base. Both providers are said to have new mobile plans ready to go, once the iPhone 6 is released.
But if Telstra benefits as it usually has, mobile revenues could jump, sending the share price above $6 for the first time since 2001.
Here's an even better bet than Telstra…
