Ming-Chi Kuo: Rumors from a Reliable Apple Analyst
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Ming-Chi Kuo

By MacRumors Staff

Ming-Chi Kuo Articles

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KGI: Improved iPhone X Shipping Estimates Due to Better-Than-Expected Production, Not Weak Demand

Friday November 24, 2017 11:28 pm PST by
Steady improvements in iPhone X supplies that have seen shipping estimates fall to 1-2 weeks are due to better-than-expected improvements in production since the device's launch, rather than any weakness demand, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who shared the information in a new research report obtained by MacRumors. According to Kuo, who frequently shares accurate...
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2018 iPhones to Feature Upgraded Antenna Design to Boost LTE Transmission Speeds

Tuesday November 21, 2017 6:10 pm PST by
Apple's upcoming 2018 iPhones will feature upgraded liquid crystal polymer (LCP) antenna modules that will contribute to faster LTE transmission speeds, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said tonight in a note that was sent out to investors. Kuo says new iPhone models will use at least two LCP LTE antenna modules, much like the iPhone X, but with improvements to support 4x4 MIMO standards. ...
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KGI: Next Year's iPhone Models to Have Upgraded Intel and Qualcomm Modems Enabling Faster LTE Speeds

Friday November 17, 2017 8:18 am PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone models released in 2018 will feature Intel's XMM 7560 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X20 modems, enabling faster LTE transmission speeds, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Image: KGI Securities Kuo highlighted that both new chips support 4x4 MIMO technology, compared to only 2x2 MIMO in the latest iPhone models, which leads him to believe LTE...
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KGI: Apple to Launch 6.5-Inch 'iPhone X Plus' and Lower-Priced 6.1-Inch Full-Screen LCD Model Next Year

Monday November 13, 2017 8:34 am PST by
Apple will launch a trio of new iPhone models in 2018, including 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch models with OLED displays and a 6.1-inch model with an LCD display, according to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Photo: KGI Securities Kuo believes all three models will be equipped with a full-screen notched design and TrueDepth camera system like the iPhone X. Kuo expects the 5.8-inch...
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iPhone 8 Production Said to Drop Significantly Given Popularity of iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X

Saturday November 11, 2017 10:06 am PST by
With fewer major selling points and given a consumer preference for the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects iPhone 8 production to see a 50-60 percent sequential decline this quarter. In his latest research note for KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the lower-than-expected iPhone 8 demand could result in fewer orders for Apple supplier Pegatron, which ...
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Ming-Chi Kuo: 2018 iPhones Will Have 'More Complex' Metal Frames for Improved Cellular Signal Transmission

Monday November 6, 2017 7:43 am PST by
While the iPhone X launched just three days ago, we're already starting to hear rumors about what to expect from next year's models. Specifically, oft-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes iPhones released in 2018 will feature a "more complex" metal frame design and casing assembly for the purpose of improving data transmission quality. An excerpt of Kuo's research note...
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Apple Likely to Retain iPhone X Dual-Lens Camera Design for 2018 iPhones

Thursday November 2, 2017 3:24 am PDT by
Apple is likely to retain the all-plastic lens system used in the iPhone X for its 2018 iPhone range, according to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note for KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said he disagrees with market speculation that Apple will implement a 7P (seven-lens plastic) or a 2G3P (two-glass, three plastic) lens design for the rear-facing camera modules in...
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Ming-Chi Kuo Says 2018 iPhones Unlikely to Have Rear-Facing TrueDepth Camera System

Tuesday October 31, 2017 8:47 am PDT by
Apple is unlikely to expand its front-facing TrueDepth system for Face ID and Animoji to the rear-facing camera module on iPhones released in 2018, according to oft-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the iPhone X's 3D sensing capabilities are already at least one year ahead of Android smartphones. For that reason, he...
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Ming-Chi Kuo Says iPhone X's TrueDepth Production Issues Stabilizing, Won't Affect Next Year's Models

Sunday October 29, 2017 9:08 am PDT by
While the iPhone X has reportedly faced production issues related to the TrueDepth camera, resulting in shipment delays, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply of components for the facial recognition system is now stable. In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo added that Apple won't "repeat the mistake" of delayed production with next year's iPhone models,...
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KGI: iPhone X Production Woes Ending, but Only 2–3 Million Units Available for Launch

Thursday October 19, 2017 10:46 pm PDT by
With just one week to go until pre-orders for the iPhone X begin, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new report indicating that the "worst [will] soon [be] over" with regards to production difficulties. According to Kuo, the biggest hurdle has likely been the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for the device's antenna, due to increased complexity and initial supply chain...
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2018 iPad Pro Models May Feature TrueDepth Camera for Face ID

Monday October 9, 2017 9:44 am PDT by
iPad Pro models set to be released in 2018 will come equipped with a TrueDepth Camera and will support Face ID, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors in a note this morning. Kuo believes Apple will add TrueDepth cameras to the iPad Pro to introduce a user experience that's consistent with the iPhone X and boost competitiveness. With all high-end iOS devices equipped with TrueDepth ...
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Apple's Face ID Turns Android Makers Away From Under-Screen Fingerprint Recognition

Saturday October 7, 2017 5:04 am PDT by
With its iPhone X debut and the introduction of Face ID, Apple has now tilted interest in the mobile industry away from under-display fingerprint recognition, and instead towards camera-based 3D sensing technologies as the ideal user authentication solution. That's according to the latest research note from respected KGI securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to the new note seen by...
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Ming-Chi Kuo Says iPhone X Supercycle Won't Really Happen Until 2018

Friday October 6, 2017 7:18 am PDT by
For months, many Wall Street analysts have predicted the iPhone X will drive a significant number of existing iPhone users to upgrade. The latest word from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, suggests the so-called "supercycle" won't truly gain momentum until 2018 due to multiple factors. Namely, Kuo said the TrueDepth camera system's reported production issues will be...
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Kuo: Reports of iPhone 8 Sales Woes 'Overdone' and 'Excessively Negative'

Tuesday September 26, 2017 10:45 pm PDT by
Reports of lower than expected first weekend iPhone 8 sales are "overdone," KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors in a new note sent out this evening. Kuo says that based on estimates of iPhone 8 production and research data from Localytics, the market is "excessively negative" on iPhone 8 sales. According to Kuo, first weekend sales of the iPhone 8 were not weak, but stable. He...
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TrueDepth Camera System is Primary Reason for Slow iPhone X Production

Monday September 25, 2017 7:32 am PDT by
Following a report claiming Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, a new report suggests the TrueDepth camera is the primary bottleneck. The word comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the facial recognition system is "far more complex" than those on competing devices, which is making ...
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Kuo: If Face ID is 'Well Received,' It's Likely 2018 iPhones Will Fully Adopt TrueDepth Camera

Tuesday September 19, 2017 4:09 pm PDT by
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this afternoon published a new research note for investors where he speculates about what Apple might do in future iPhones regarding Touch ID and Face ID. Investors, like many of us, are curious whether Apple plans to eliminate Touch ID in favor of Face ID, embrace a dual biometric solution, or swap back to Touch ID once a viable under display solution is...
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Ming-Chi Kuo Says iPhone X Unlikely to Reach Supply-Demand Balance Until Next Year

Friday September 15, 2017 9:07 am PDT by
While the iPhone X launches November 3, with pre-orders beginning October 27, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple's high-end smartphone won't achieve complete supply-demand equilibrium until next year. In his latest research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said customer demand for the iPhone X won't be fully met until at least the first half of 2018 due to...
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Ming-Chi Kuo: iPhone X Production Currently Just <10K Units Per Day, Blush Gold Color May Launch Later

Monday September 11, 2017 7:16 am PDT by
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a research note to investors today in which he said Apple's current iPhone X production totals less than just 10,000 units per day. For this reason, Kuo anticipates the iPhone X will remain in "severe short supply for a while" following its expected launch later this month. Kuo also anticipates that the so-called "Blush Gold" colored iPhone X will...
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KGI: All iPhone X Colors Will Have Black Bezels to Ensure 'Better Aesthetic Design'

Saturday September 9, 2017 1:10 pm PDT by
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a new prediction about how Apple will design the front of the "iPhone X." Kuo believes that no matter the color of the device's casing, the front bezels will be black. This will ensure "better aesthetic design," hiding the front-facing camera sensors on the iPhone X's notch, which would otherwise stand out as little black dots on a white bezel. This...
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Apple Watch Series 3 Unlikely to Support Direct Phone Calls, but VoIP Calling a Possibility

Wednesday August 16, 2017 10:10 am PDT by
The third-generation Apple Watch, set to launch this fall with LTE support for the first time, is unlikely to support phone calls, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors in a note shared this morning. According to Kuo, while a voice service that replaces the iPhone's calling functionality is "feasible," he believes Apple must first work on improving the "user experience of data...