Fresh from delivering Apple's sterling performance in the first quarter of 2013, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that consumers can expect exciting product release starting on the last quarter of 2013.

That trend will continue on for the rest of 2014, Mr Cook said, indicating that Apple is working on products that again would surprise the entire tech world.

As expected, the Apple chief was short on details but experts are assuming that the initial bombshell to be seen later this year would largely comprise of the iPhone 5 refresh, the iPhone 5S, and its so-called low-cost version.

His statement, analyst said, is consistent with Apple's usual product cycle that pushes out fresh editions of its smartphone. All indications so far have pointed to an incremental upgrade of the iPhone 5, which reports said will carry new security and camera features.

Rumours about the iPhone 5S have earlier suggested that the handset would debut between June and August this year but a pushback to September and November was floated this week following reports that Apple manufacturers hit a production snag on the fingerprint sensor to be included on the iPhone's Home button.

As for the rumoured iPhone 6, which likely would sport a screen size that stretches to six inches, Mr Cook has allowed that consumers have developed considerable likings for the oversized smartphone.

He granted that jumbo phones are now part of the mobile phone landscape but stressed too that the handsets being churned out by manufacturers like Samsung and LG represent significant comprises.

Mr Cook insisted that the large smartphones we see today are generally difficult to use on one hand plus many are flashing anaemic screen display specs.

"We would not ship a larger display iPhone while these trade-offs exist," the Apple big boss was reported by Apple Insider as saying on Tuesday.

Apple has yet to confirm its possible play on the phablet arena but analysts are pointing to mid-2014 as the likely date to expect for an iPhone screen size that exceeds its current 4-inch mark.

The latest we would see an Apple phablet should be on June 2014, some analysts said.