Ming-Chi Kuo

Apple is facing quality control issues with the rear iPhone 14 camera lens, causing some lenses to crack due to a coating, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today on Twitter. The issue has resulted in Apple reallocating iPhone 14 camera orders to a different supplier, helping mitigate the impact on device shipments later this fall. iPhone 14 Pro renders created by Ian Zelbo for Jon Prosser Kuo...

Apple has added to its list of suppliers for the iPhone 14 series in a bid to avoid potential supply chain shortages when mass production of the devices begins, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a series of tweets, Kuo said components from SG Micro have passed quality certification for the high-end iPhone 14 models, meaning the Chinese company has been greenlighted to supply components...

While some iPhone 14 components are facing supply chain issues, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the issues will have a limited impact on upcoming mass production of iPhone 14 models, which are expected to be announced in September. In a tweet, Kuo said other suppliers can help to make up for component shortages. For example, Kuo said Samsung Display and BOE can largely fill the initial...

The iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the sole Apple smartphone of 2023 to get a periscope camera lens and benefit from greatly enhanced optical zoom, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020, when Kuo first mentioned the possibility. The analyst initially said that a periscope lens would be an iPhone 14 Pro feature,...

Apple plans to launch its second-generation AR/VR headset in the first half of 2025, likely featuring a more high-end configuration and a new affordable option, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Writing in his Medium blog, Kuo said the following: The second-generation Apple AR/VR may have high-end and more-affordable models, which will launch in 1H25, and component suppliers will...

Apple is expected to make its latest A16 processor exclusive to the Pro models in the iPhone 14 lineup, and that diversification strategy is set to become an annual trend in future iPhone series, according to a new report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Earlier this year, Kuo said only the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models will feature an A16 chip, with the standard ‌iPhone 14‌ and ‌iPhone 14‌ Max models to ...

For the last several years, Apple has been working to develop its own 5G modem chip so that it won't need to rely on Qualcomm as a supplier, but according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's efforts "may have failed." Kuo says that his "latest survey" suggests that development on the chip has stalled, which means Qualcomm would remain the exclusive supplier for 5G chips for the 2023 iPhone...

Apple is "likely" to announce its long-rumored mixed-reality headset as soon as January 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reiterated. Concept render based on purported leaked information by Ian Zelbo In a detailed post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple's headset will be a "game-changer" for the augmented-reality and virtual-reality market. Describing some of the headset's...

Apple has gradually sold an increasing number of AirTags, despite not receiving much attention, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet, Kuo explained that he believes Apple shipped around 20 million AirTag item trackers in 2021, rising to 35 million in 2022: AirTag, which has not received much attention, has gradually grown in shipments since its release. Shipment estimations ...

Apple is planning a new 15-inch MacBook model that could launch around the second quarter of 2023 or later, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. In a tweet, Kuo said the notebook may be available with both M2 and M2 Pro chip options. Kuo previously claimed the new 15-inch model might not be branded as a MacBook Air, but he did not provide any further details about potential naming. For the...

Apple plans to announce its long-rumored mixed reality headset during an event planned for January 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. In a tweet, Kuo offered a more precise timeline for Apple's mixed reality headset, which despite speculation did not make an appearance during yesterday's WWDC keynote. According to Kuo, Apple will hold an event in January to reveal the product,...

Apple is unlikely to announce its rumored mixed reality headset or its new AR/VR operating system at next week's WWDC with mass production of the device still some ways off, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Render via designer Ian Zelbo In a pair of tweets on Tuesday, Kuo said he expected Apple's headset to launch in 2023, and that announcing it too early would see Apple's...

The iPhone 14 Pro's "A16" chip may be a minor upgrade over the iPhone 13's A15 Bionic and there are growing questions around the nature of the "M2" chip, according to reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Earlier this week, the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro" postulated that the A16 chip for the ‌iPhone 14‌ Pro models will be manufactured with the same process as the ‌iPhone 13‌'s A15...

Apple is testing electronic paper display (EPD) technology for possible implementation in future foldable devices and tablet applications, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. On Twitter, Kuo said that color EPD displays made by Chinese company E Ink could be used for the outer-most display in a foldable device, while the larger, folded-out display would use a more advanced display...

Earlier this week, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple plans to release at least one iPhone 15 model with a USB-C port in 2023. Now, in a follow-up tweet, he has claimed that accessories like AirPods, the MagSafe Battery Pack, and the Magic Keyboard/Mouse/Trackpad trio would also switch to USB-C in the "foreseeable future." Both the iPhone and all of the aforementioned...

Apple plans to launch a new version of the Apple TV in the second half of 2022, according to well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet today, Kuo said the new Apple TV will have an improved cost structure, suggesting that the device could have a lower price that is more competitive with other streaming media players like Google's Chromecast line, Amazon's Fire TV line, and the Roku line. ...

Apple will ditch its proprietary Lightning port and switch to USB-C on all or possibly some models of the iPhone 15 lineup destined to launch in the second half of 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Since the iPhone 5, Apple has kept the Lightning port on the ‌iPhone‌, despite much of the industry moving to USB-C. In a tweet today, Kuo said that the latest supply chain survey...

Apple canceled plans to add a body temperature sensor to the Apple Watch Series 7, but the feature could come to the Apple Watch Series 8 instead, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a thread of tweets, Kuo explained that Apple originally intended to offer a body temperature measurement feature with the Apple Watch Series 7 models, but the company shelved the plans when the body...

Apple could launch its first full-screen smartphone in 2024, with the "iPhone 16 Pro" potentially the first Apple device to feature under-display Face ID and an under-screen front camera, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet today. I think the real full-screen iPhone will come in 2024. High-end iPhones in 2024 would adopt an under-display front camera alongside the under-display Face ID. A...

All four iPhone 14 models that are expected to launch later this year will likely feature an upgraded front camera with autofocus and a wider ƒ/1.9 aperture, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet today. The wider aperture would allow more light to pass through the lens and reach the front camera's sensor on iPhone 14 models. Kuo said these camera upgrades could result in an...