Ming-Chi Kuo - page 2

Next-gen AirPods Pro could bring new design, better chip in late 2022

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Next-gen AirPods Pro concept
They could look a little like this.
Concept: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

We could be waiting close to a year for Apple’s much-anticipated AirPods Pro upgrade, but according to one analyst, it will be well worth the wait. The next-generation buds are expected to deliver a brand-new design and a better chip.

They could also be Apple’s first headphones with fitness tracking capabilities.

Apple’s first AR headset could arrive late next year with super-speedy chip

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Apple’s first AR headset could launch in 2022, AR glasses in 2023
It could pack as much power as an M1 Mac.
Concept: Taeyeon Kim

Apple’s much-anticipated augmented reality headset could finally drop late next year, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The device is expected to pack a surprisingly powerful chip that would put it on par with an M1 Mac in processing performance. A second low-power processor will reportedly handle the headset’s many built-in sensors.

Apple’s first mixed-reality headset already faces production delays

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Apple could take on the likes of Oculus with a VR headset as early as 2022.
The wait drags on.
Photo: Minh Pham/Unsplash CC

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will launch later than previously anticipated due to delays surrounding its complex design, an analyst says. Previously expected to enter mass production during the second quarter of 2022, the much-anticipated device’s time line reportedly has been pushed back to late 2022.

Cupertino supposedly wants to deliver a product far better than anything seen in the augmented reality or virtual reality spaces so far. That means pairing a groundbreaking design with high-end specifications and a solid ecosystem of software and services.

Apple Watch 7 will ship this month with ‘dramatic change in design’

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Apple Watch Series 7 concept
Apple Watch Series 7 could look a little something like this.
Photo: Jon Prosser/RendersbyIan

Apple Watch Series 7 will make its debut later this month after issues in its production were resolved, according to a new report published by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and seen by Cult of Mac.

The new device will introduce the “most significant change in the design of the Apple Watch ever.” Availability could be limited initially, but mass production is expected to begin in late September.

MacBook Pro may get a swanky screen upgrade later this year

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Antonio takes rumors and makes them into renders. Not pie-in-sky dreams
Would you be excited at the prospect of a redesigned, mini-LED MacBook Pro?
Concept: Antonio De Rosa

Mini-LED screens, branded by Apple as “Liquid Retina XDR” displays, are reportedly coming to MacBook Pro. In a note to clients Friday, seen by Cult of Mac, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models — featuring Liquid Retina XDR displays and an all-new design — will enter mass production in the third-quarter of 2021.

This contrasts with a May report that claimed the launch of Apple’s mini LED-backlit MacBook series had been postponed to 2022. It’s not clear whether that information was incorrect, or whether Apple and its suppliers have been able to solve whatever problem they may have been facing.

Beats Studio Buds offset falling AirPods sales ahead of health-tracking upgrade

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Beats Studio Buds come in white.
An early success.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new Beats Studio Buds are helping to offset a recent decline in headphones sales before an “innovative” health-tracking AirPods Pro upgrade arrives next year, according to one reliable analyst.

AirPods shipments could fall to just 70-75 million units for 2021, warns TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo. But Apple’s total headphones shipments could jump to more than 100 million units in 2022.

Top analyst remains confident Apple AR headset will come in 2022

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Taeyeon Kim
Not too much longer to wait?
Photo: Taeyeon Kim

Apple will launch its head-mounted augmented reality display in the second quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities.

It will feature lenses built by Genius Electronic Optical, which Kuo says will be the “sole supplier” for the high-end camera lenses in the forthcoming iPhone 13. (Largan Precision supposedly sent Apple samples for the handset’s rear wide lens and rear telephoto lens that failed to live up to Cupertino’s exacting standards. As a result, Apple canceled its Largan orders for iPhone 13 and will give them to Genius instead.)

Under-display Face ID could eliminate iPhone’s notch in 2023

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Face ID
Ready for the next iteration of Face ID?
Photo: Apple

Apple will debut an under-display Face ID setup to debut in 2023, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims in a Wednesday report to clients, seen by Cult of Mac.

Kuo doesn’t elaborate on the feature but, provided he’s accurate, this could potentially mean the end of the “notch” which has been a part of the iPhone design dating back to 2017’s iPhone X.

2021 could mark end of the road for iPhone mini

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iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12 mini was a great phone. Trouble is that it didn't sell.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

The iPhone mini looks unlikely to last longer than one more generation, based on a Wednesday report from a reliable Apple tipster.

Looking forward to the 2022 iPhone, TFI International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Apple will continue its recent pattern of releasing four models. However, these will include higher-end 6.7-inch and 6.1-inch iPhones like the current Pro lineup, and lower-end models in the same sizes.

The 5.4-inch iPhone mini sounds like it’ll be nowhere to be found.

Forget swiping, Apple’s AR headset will react to what users are looking at

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Hololens
Microsoft's HoloLens are currently the mixed reality glasses to beat.
Photo: Microsoft

Apple’s upcoming augmented reality head-mounted display will be controlled by eye-tracking technology, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says in a note sent to clients Friday.

Instead of using hand controls, the technology will be able to detect wearers’ eye movements and blinking, then instantly compute the required information so it can be seen on the device’s micro-OLED display.

Days of explosive growth for AirPods may already be over

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AirPods Pro with black background discounts
AirPods have been a massive winner for Apple since 2016.
Photo: Apple

The massive growth days of the AirPods may already be over, according to renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a new note to clients seen by Cult of Mac, Kuo said he anticipates a year-over-year decline in AirPods shipments in 2021. If true, this would be the first year in AirPods history that sales didn’t experience explosive growth.

8-inch folding iPhone could arrive in 2023

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Apple invents a unique, no-crease folding iPhone screen
Apple could be set to follow Samsung into the world of folding phones.
Photo: Samsung

Apple could release its first folding iPhone in the next couple of years, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says.

In a new research note to clients, seen by Cult of Mac, Kuo writes that “if Apple can solve the foldable mobile device’s key technology and mass production issues in 2021, then [it] may launch the 7.5 [to] 8-inch foldable iPhone in 2023.”

HDMI port and SD card reader supposedly will return to MacBook Pro this year

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Apple_macbookpro-13-inch_screen_05042020
MacBook Pro is getting a big redesign this year.
Photo: Apple

From the sound of things, Apple is going back to the past for its next-gen MacBook Pro — and, depending on who you ask, that could be a very good thing.

The next MacBook Pro is already rumored to bring back the MagSafe charger and kill off the LED Touch Bar in favor of a row of physical keys.

Now, in a new note to clients, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says this year’s pro laptop will come with a built-in SD card reader and an HDMI port. These have been MIA since 2016, when Apple went all in on USB-C — and started ditching MacBook ports like they were going out of style.

Apple car could finally hit the road in 2025, but it won’t be cheap

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
Ming-Chi Kuo offers more details about Apple car in his latest report.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

An Apple car could ship in 2025, and will be “positioned as a very high-end” model in terms of pricing, claims TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo doesn’t give a dollar figure. But he writes that the sticker price, as well as the cost of Apple car components, will come in much higher than a those for a regular electric vehicle.

Apple may drop the Touch Bar from its next MacBook Pro

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You got the touch. Here's how to master your MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Apple introduced the context-sensitive Touch Bar in 2016.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

According to reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the next-gen MacBook Pro will come in 14- and 16-inch sizes, feature more ports and bring back the MagSafe charger in some form (!). And, of course,  the high-end laptops will run on new Apple Silicon chips.

But the first big MacBook Pro redesign in half a decade also do away with the Touch Bar, the controversial — and never entirely successful — innovation Apple debuted back in 2016.

High-end iPhone camera lens won’t get a major upgrade in 2021 or 2022

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iPhone 12 Pro Max review: The industrial design will leave you breathless.
iPhone got a big camera lens upgrade last year. But don't expect another this year.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple won’t upgrade the seven-element primary lens assembly seen in the iPhone 12 until at least 2023, claims reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The analyst revealed this in a Friday note to investors, stating that Apple isn’t planning on upgrading the lens system for the iPhone for either of the next two big handset upgrades. The seven-element lens was introduced with the iPhone 12, featuring a wider ƒ/1.6 aperture. This results in better low-light images.

Apple Watch, MacBook tipped for big redesigns in late 2021

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Monowear-Urban-Canvas-Apple-Watch-3
New iPads with mini-LED displays could come even sooner.
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac

Apple will introduce a redesigned Apple Watch and MacBook lineup in late 2021, according to one reliable analyst.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities expects Apple’s next-generation wearable to bring “innovative health management functions.” He also told investors iPhone 12 is off to a strong start.

iPad Pro could make switch to OLED screens in second half of 2021

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iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard
Mini-LED displays could be a temporary stepping stone.
Photo: Apple

Apple will debut its first iPad Pro with an OLED display during the second half of 2021, according to a new report.

The screens are expected to be manufactured by Samsung, which is said to be renovating one of its production lines specifically for OLED iPad displays. LG will also be involved in production.

First iPad with mini-LED display, AirPods 3 expected for early 2021

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iPad Air
LCD's days are numbered.
Photo: Apple

Apple will introduce its first iPad with a mini-LED display and refreshed AirPods in the first half of 2021, according to one reliable analyst.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities predicts the iPad will be one of six Apple products that will get mini-LED screens next year. Others include iPad Pro, iMac Pro, and MacBook Pro.

iPhone batteries could shrink again in 2021, but without battery life cuts

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iPhone 12 battery teardown
iPhone 13 could be first with new "soft board" battery tech.
Photo: iFixit

Apple will reportedly shrink iPhone batteries again in 2021 to make room for new technologies. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll have to get used to charging more frequently.

Reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to adopt new “soft board” battery technology for iPhone 13. It could allow more power to be squeezed into a smaller space.

iPhone SE fans could miss out on early 2021 refresh

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2020-iPhone-SE-lineup-hero
Delayed until 2022?
Photo: Apple

iPhone SE fans hoping for an annual refresh could face disappointment in early 2021. One reliable analyst today reports that Apple has no plans to refresh its budget device during the first half of next year.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities indicates that plans for an upgraded iPhone SE have been pushed back while Apple suppliers battle it out to secure orders for next fall’s iPhone 13 instead.

Oh, snap! 2021 iPhone could include some handy camera upgrades

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iPhone 12 Pro back
Top analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is expecting big things from next year's iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Photography remains a big focus for iPhone upgrades, and next year’s lineup isn’t likely to deviate from this trajectory.

In a report published Friday, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo writes that Apple is planning several big improvements for next year’s iPhone Pro models. Here’s what they are.