Ming-Chi Kuo

Apple plans to launch third-generation AirPods with a form factor design "similar to AirPods Pro" in the first half of 2021, according to the latest research note from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors. Introduced in November 2019, the AirPods Pro feature an in-ear design with three sizes of soft, flexible silicone tips included in the box, along with...

Apple plans to introduce its Arm-based custom designed chips for Macs at WWDC, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a note to investors today, agreeing with an earlier report from Bloomberg. Kuo says that the first Mac models to adopt Arm-based chips will be the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro and an iMac with a redesigned form factor, with Apple planning to launch the new models in the in fourth...

Apple's upcoming "iPhone 12" may not come with EarPods included in the box, as a means of driving demand for the company's popular wireless AirPods which are sold separately, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple has included earbuds with the ‌iPhone‌ ever since the first model of the smartphone launched in 2007, in large part because the ‌iPhone‌ was pitched as a natural...

Apple has long been rumored to be working on some kind of augmented reality headset, and in a new note to investors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expects the Apple Glasses to launch in 2022 at the earliest. Taiwanese site DigiTimes also recently said that Apple's AR glasses could launch by 2022 as suppliers work to ramp up development, and The Information has also suggested a 2022 ...

Apple's development of mini-LED display based hardware has not been significantly affected by the global health crisis but it may have delayed adoption of the technology in the short-term, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF International Securities today, seen by MacRumors, Kuo said mini-LED chip, panel, assembly, and terminal assembly are expected to begin...

Apple is working on third-generation AirPods that will go into mass production during the first half of 2021, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a note to investors today. The new AirPods will adopt the System-in-Package used for the AirPods Pro, replacing the rigid-flex PCB+SMT design of the second-generation AirPods. Kuo says that these internal updates will be the biggest change to the...

Apple may postpone a larger version of the new low-cost iPhone SE until the second half of 2021, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a previous note, Kuo said that Apple was working on an "‌iPhone‌ SE Plus" set to be released in the first half of 2021, but now he believes Apple will "likely postpone" this new model until later in 2021. The current ‌iPhone‌ SE We predicted that Apple...

Some of Apple's upcoming 5G iPhones could see a delay in production, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note shared with investors. mmWave models, which will feature the fastest 5G functionality, have a "potential delay risk" and may launch outside of the normal timeline. Production on the mmWave iPhone may be pushed back because of changes to the antenna package that were made in...

Apple plans to launch several Mac notebooks and desktop computers with its own custom designed Arm-based processors in 2021, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a research note obtained by MacRumors. Kuo believes that Arm-based processors will significantly enhance the competitive advantage of the Mac lineup, allow Apple to refresh its Mac models without relying on Intel's processor roadmap,...

Apple is rumored to be planning a high-end 6.7-inch iPhone model for release in 2020, and multiple reports have indicated that the device will feature multiple rear camera improvements, including larger sensors that capture more light for better image quality. The latest word comes from noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who today said that the 6.7-inch iPhone will also feature sensor-shift image...

In addition to forecasting the launch of new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with scissor keyboards in the second quarter of 2020, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple has bigger ambitions for its notebook lineup. In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple plans to launch MacBook models with its own custom processors in the fourth quarter of 2020 or the first...

Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with scissor keyboards in the second quarter of 2020, according to a new research note today from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors. Kuo did not comment on the size of the new MacBook Pro, but he is possibly referring to the 14-inch model that he has previously mentioned given that the 16-inch MacBook Pro was only released ...

Apple has six mini-LED products in the works that are set to debut in 2020 and 2021, and production is not expected to be delayed by the coronavirus, according to a new note to investors sent out this morning by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple is developing a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, a 27-inch iMac Pro, a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, a 10.2.-inch iPad, and a 7.9-inch iPad mini...

Apple's iPhone production will not significantly improve until the second quarter of 2020, according to a research note from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by MacRumors. In the past few weeks, Kuo has warned of delays and low labor return rates at Apple supplier factories in China. ‌iPhone‌ camera lens shipments from supplier Genius Electronic Optical reportedly fell significantly over...

Apple's first Mac with a processor designed in house is set to be released during the first half of 2021, Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo said in a note to investors this morning that was obtained by MacRumors. There are no other details provided about the new Mac that's in the works, but the detail confirms multiple past rumors that have suggested Apple is working on custom Arm-based processors...

Luxshare Precision, one of Apple's suppliers for devices like AirPods and Apple Watch, is going to be taking on more responsibility in the coming months as it prepares to begin assembling Apple's iPhones. In a note to investors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this afternoon shared details on what Luxshare Precision will be working on this year. The supplier is expected to enter the iPhone...

Shanghai-based manufacturing company Universal Scientific Industrial will begin supplying the system-in-package for Apple's upcoming Ultra Wideband item tracking tags in the second to third quarter of 2020, with shipments to reach tens of millions of units by the end of the year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo...

We've been hearing for some time that Apple is planning to launch a new low-cost iPhone based on the ‌iPhone‌ 8, but with upgraded internals. This device has been referred to in rumors as the "‌iPhone‌ SE 2" or "‌iPhone‌ 9," although concerns over the impact of the Wuhan coronavirus on production have raised some questions about timing for the launch. In a new research note seen by MacRumors,...

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today sent out a note to investors warning them to pay close attention to the epidemic changes of the coronavirus outbreak in China as it is impacting Foxconn, Pegatron, and other Apple suppliers. In the note, Kuo outlines the status of several major Apple suppliers as workers prepare to return to factories to resume production on Apple products. Foxconn's...

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has lowered his iPhone shipment forecast by 10 percent to 36-40 million units in the first quarter of 2020, noting that the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak is affecting iPhone supply in China. For example, multiple reports have indicated that assembly of the rumored "iPhone 9" or "iPhone SE 2" could be disrupted. The lower-cost device, expected to be a revamped version of ...