Kuo: Apple to Unveil AirTags, Augmented Reality Device, and More in 2021

Apple plans to release its long-awaited AirTags item trackers, an unspecified augmented reality device, and other new products in 2021, according to a new research note from reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors.

airtags mockup 4 blue
AirTags are expected to help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks, and would notify users on their Apple devices when they are separated from a tagged item. In 2019, MacRumors obtained screenshots showing that AirTags will be managed through a new Items tab in the Find My app.

As for the augmented reality device, Apple is widely rumored to be working on an augmented reality headset, glasses, or both, but Kuo did not specify. iPhones and iPads also offer augmented reality features, so there is ambiguity here.

As expected, Kuo also said that Apple plans to release new AirPods, more Apple Silicon Macs, and its first devices with Mini-LED displays throughout the year. Previous rumors have pointed towards a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and various MacBook models with Mini-LED displays launching in 2021, offering richer colors, improved contrast, and more.

Kuo previously said that Apple plans to release redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon and Mini-LED displays in 2021. He also previously forecasted that a new MacBook Air with Apple Silicon and a Mini-LED display will launch in 2022, but it is unclear if that notebook will also sport a new design.

Apple already announced that it plans to transition its entire Mac lineup to Apple Silicon within around two years, with other rumored models in the pipeline including a redesigned 24-inch iMac and smaller Mac Pro-like desktop.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

The Pumpkin King Avatar
56 months ago
That’s what he said almost exactly a year ago. https://www.macrumors.com/2020/01/29/kuo-on-apple-first-half-of-2020/
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
56 months ago
airtags are starting to feel like AirPower.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A MacBook lover Avatar
56 months ago
Airtags are the augmented reality device. Do you get it now? These aren’t two separate things.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xxray Avatar
56 months ago
AirTags were rumored to launch for the past 2 years
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
56 months ago
This doesn’t seem to be anything surprising. Didn’t we already know this? It would be more surprising if anything on that list was NOT released this year.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
56 months ago

Any product with an M chip is likely to be a blockbuster, so just from that alone, I'd say Apple has a big year ahead.
It will be a big year of spending in my house if they release a new 12.9” iPad Pro with miniLED, 5G and M-like chip, and a 16” MBP with M-silicon.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)