Ming-Chi Kuo

Still big in Japan, iPhone slips in China

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iPhone 15 Pro in iPhone market outlook
Tuesday's iiPhone market outlook reports fell short of upbeat.
Photo: Apple

A flurry of iPhone market outlook reports shows Apple’s juggernaut handset is still the top-seller in Japan while slipping to fourth place in China so far in 2024. And that comes as Apple lowers component shipment targets for the year amid supply chain challenges, pointing to a possibly down year.

Monday’s ‘Scary Fast’ Macs could sport M3 chips after all

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Here are the M3-powered Macs expected in fall 2023
The Apple M3 is almost here, and it’s reportedly going into multiple Macs.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

After Apple invited the world to its Scary Fast product event Monday, speculation turned more seriously to the idea that newly announced Macs might sport faster new M3 chips rather than versions of the current M2 series chips.

One prominent analyst who had said the upgrade wouldn’t happen yet even changed his tune on the matter.

15-inch MacBook with M2 Pro might launch in spring 2023

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13-inch MacBook Air with M2
The 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 might be joined by a larger version.
Photo: Apple

A 15-inch MacBook will debut in less than a year that offers either an M2 or an M2 Pro processor, according to a reliable Apple analyst. That could make it one of the first with the upgraded version of the M2.

Note that the notebook might not be branded as a MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air. It could be a “MacBook.”

Apple will start turning prototypes into products outside of China

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A folding iPhone might leave a portion of the screen always exposed.
Turning a design into a product doesn't have to happen in China.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple will increase the number of countries where it does an important phase in developing products, according to a industry analyst. Currently, its R&D-oriented New Product Introduction (NPI) sites are in China, but the company plans to build NPI offices in other places as well.

Recent COVID shutdowns — which have disrupted several recent products — are supposedly the reason for the change.

iPhone 16 could finally nullify notch with under-display camera and Face ID

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An iPhone without any sort of notch or pill could be coming in 2024.
An iPhone without any sort of notch or pill could be coming in 2024.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

As rumors fly about the upcoming iPhone 14 series, a top analyst is doubling down on his recent assertion that high-end iPhones in 2024 — likely iPhone 16 Pro models — will feature an under-display camera along with under-display Face ID.

If Apple analyst Min-Chi Kuo’s tweet Wednesday turns out to be accurate, the new under-display tech would most likely finally nullify any need for a notch and possibly the pinhole-and-pill design expected in iPhone 14.

Apple just can’t give up the iPhone notch

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iphone 12 without notch
Tipsters agree, an iPhone without a notch is on Apple’s drawing board. But not as soon as we might like.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

The good news is that Apple will bring in-display Face ID to the iPhone, finally eliminating the distinctive “notch” at the top of the touchscreen. The bad news is that it’s reportedly not happening as soon as possible.

This means we’re still years away from an iPhone with a truly edge-to-edge display.

Apple ‘actively testing’ 9-inch foldable, but don’t expect foldable iPhone before 2025

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Apple tests 9-inch foldable
Could Apple's first foldable be a lot like the Galaxy Fold?
Photo: Matt Baumeister/Unsplash

Apple is “actively testing” a 9-inch foldable device, but it won’t be taking on Samsung with a foldable iPhone until 2025 at the earliest, one analyst claims.

The company’s “priority order” for foldables is said to be medium, large and then small devices. Its current prototype is being used to test new technologies and may not be indicative of an upcoming product.

iPhone might never get in-screen Touch ID

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iPhone 14 won‘t include in-screen Touch ID
Bad news: Looks like an iPhone with an in-display Touch ID scanner will remain only a dream.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

An in-screen fingerprint scanner won’t be part of any iPhone for at least three years, according to a trusted analyst. That raises the strong possibility that Touch ID will never again be part of Apple’s flagship smartphones — despite occasional rumors to the contrary.

Apple may have abandoned the idea after a recent improvement to Face ID.

Apple is already slashing iPhone SE 3 production due to weak demand

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The new iPhone SE is available is available in the same colors as before, but it's much-improved on the inside.
It's not looking good for iPhone SE.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly making big cuts to iPhone SE 3 production less than two weeks after the device made its official debut. Two separate sources claim Cupertino is seeing weaker-than-expected demand for the entry-level device.

One analyst points to the fact that the third-generation is still “in stock” — without any delays in shipping — as proof that it is not selling as Apple anticipated. Shipment estimates have been cut by 10 million units as a result.

iPhone 14 Pro’s camera upgrade could mean an even fatter hump

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iPhone 13 Pro's new Ultrawide camera enables impressive-looking macro photography.
So much for those camera lenses disappearing into iPhone 14's housing.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expected to give iPhone 14 Pro a rather significant camera upgrade that could include a 48-megapixel wide angle sensor. It will mean sharper iPhone photos than ever before — but a much bigger camera bump.

According to one analyst, it will be “larger and more prominent” than the humps on previous iPhone models. That’s despite some rumors claiming that iPhone 14 itself would become thicker so that its cameras could sit flush with its shell.

Apple’s upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air may come with a different name

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15-inch MacBook Air may get a new name
Will it be just "MacBook?"
Photo: Apple

Apple is rumored to be working on a 15-inch version of the MacBook Air — something many of its notebook users have long been asking for. But according to one analyst, the new machine may launch under a different name.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, who has reliably predicted Apple’s moves many times in the past, predicts mass production of a larger laptop will begin in late 2023, and that it “might not be called MacBook Air.”

Apple Watch Series 3 could finally get the boot this year

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Apple Watch Music
It's about time.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple might discontinue the Apple Watch Series 3 later this year, according to a new report.

The device stuck around this long — five years after its 2017 introduction — as a more-affordable alternative to newer Apple Watch models. But in recent years, performance and storage constraints caused all kinds of frustrations for Apple Watch Series 3 owners.

Apple could keep us waiting for MacBook Air’s big redesign

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A MacBook Air without a Touch Bar might be in the offing for later in 2021.
The new model is expected to look a little something like this.
Concept: Ian Zelbo

MacBook Air fans may have to wait longer than expected for the ultraportable’s next big redesign. It was predicted to come early this year, but a new report claims it won’t be ready until sometime during the second half of 2022.

There’s also bad news for MacBook Pro fans. It seems updates to the 14- and 16-inch models, which could bring next-generation “M2 Pro” and “M2 Max” chipsets, won’t appear until 2023.

11-inch iPad Pro and Studio Display may have to wait for mini-LED screens

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Despite hopes that Apple's new Studio Display might get mini-LEDs sooner than later, it might not happen.
Despite hopes that Apple's new Studio Display might get mini-LEDs sooner than later, it might not happen.
Photo: Apple

It appears unlikely Apple will roll out any new products with mini-LED displays in 2022 because of concerns about cost, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet Wednesday. That would include hoped-for updates to the 11-inch iPad Pro and the recently released Studio Display.

Kuo clarified that Cupertino’s existing mini-LED products, such as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, may be updated this year.

Apple Car team was ‘dissolved’ but vehicle still coming in 2025

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
An Apple autonomous vehicle could still be on the road in just a few years, despite a reorg of the development team.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

The group at Apple developing a self-driving electric car has been “dissolved for some time,” according to a reliable source of insider information. But the project supposedly hasn’t been canceled — it’s undergoing a reorganization.

This is likely a reflection of the many difficulties Apple has run into with this very complex project.

Some iPhone 14 models might miss out on Apple’s new A16 processor

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Every iPhone 14 model will have a ProMotion display and 6GB of RAM
Apple might limit its new A16 processor to only iPhone 14 Pro models.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The basic iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will launch this fall with the same A15 processor as the 2021 models, according to a reliable tipster. Supposedly, only the pricier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will sport a new A16 chip.

If true, it’ll be a move Apple has never used before.

Apple’s massive Mac mini upgrade may not be ready until 2023

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Apple Mac mini 2018
Mac mini's next refresh is coming, just not in a hurry.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s next major refresh for Mac mini may not come until 2023, according to the latest claims from one analyst, who has proven reliable in the past.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities this week revised his predictions for the next-generation compact desktop, which he previously expected to see this year. It could now launch alongside the first Mac Pro with Apple silicon.

2022 MacBook Air refresh could bring all-new design but no ‘M2’ chip

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Drool-worthy M2 MacBook Air concept shows off super slim design
It could look a little like this gorgeous render.
Concept: Front Page Tech /Renders by Ian

Apple is said to be planning a major MacBook Air refresh with an all-new design for 2022. But it may not get an “M2” chipset upgrade, as some rumors have suggested. It could also miss out on a mini-LED display.

Here’s what you can expect, according to one analyst who has proven reliable in the past.

Apple could keep us waiting until 2023 for new Mac Pro and iMac Pro

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Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR orders start Tuesday
Apple's high-end desktops won't come this year, one analyst says.
Image: Apple

Apple has a whole bunch of exciting Mac upgrades planned for 2022, according to recent rumors. But if it’s a new Mac Pro or iMac Pro powered by Apple silicon you’re after, you could be waiting until next year.

One analyst, who has proven reliable in the past, doesn’t expect to see refreshes to Apple’s high-end desktops until 2023. But he does believe a more powerful Mac mini and a new 27-inch Apple display are coming this year.

iPhone SE 3 to pack 5G, A15 chip, up to 256GB storage

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iphone.se.image.1
Yes, it will look just like the last iPhone SE.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s third-generation iPhone SE will pack 5G connectivity, a super-speedy A15 chipset and up to 256GB of storage, according to last-minute predictions from an analyst who proved reliable in the past.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities also provided details on the handset’s predicted design and color options in a rare Twitter post.

Apple’s first headset could be 3 years ahead of rivals in computing power

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Apple mixed reality headset
It will need a beefy charger.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s first mixed-reality headset will ship with the same 96W power adapter that you get with some 14-inch MacBook Pro models, according to an analyst, who says that’s proof the device will pack plenty of computing power.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects Apple’s “metaverse headset” to be around two to three years ahead of competing products. And he says it could sell as many as 3 million units during its first full year of availability, rising to 20 million units in 2025.

Apple’s AR headset could feature ‘pancake’ lenses and arrive in late 2022

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Apple AR VR headset
Good luck getting one at launch.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s first mixed reality headset will feature “pancake” lenses that allow for a lighter, more compact design, according to a new report. The device is still on track to make its debut in late 2022, despite early production delays.

However, it is believed the headset — which is expected to offer both augmented and virtual reality experiences — will be in short supply initially. Availability is set to increase substantially in early 2023.

iPhone could get periscope lens after 48-megapixel camera upgrade

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iPhone camera
Periscope lenses could allow 10x optical zoom in iPhone 15.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

iPhone will get a periscope camera lens for the first time in 2023 after a 48-megapixel sensor upgrade next year, according to one analyst. The periscope lens should allow for significantly greater optical zoom.

A number of iPhone rivals are now using this technology to allow photographers to take more detailed snaps of their subjects. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra is capable of 10x optical zoom, while iPhone 13 Pro maxes out at 3x.

Apple mixed reality headset could feature advanced gesture controls

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Apple mixed reality headset
It probably won't look anything like this.
Photo: Vu Hoang/Flickr CC

Apple’s first mixed reality headset will pack a number of advanced sensors that allow for innovative gesture controls, according to one analyst.

It is believed the device will be able to recognize subtle changes in hand movements, like the clench of a fist, to allow users to interact with virtual objects without using another device, such as a controller.