Ming-Chi Kuo: 76.6% accurate

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for TF International Securities and icon in the community, consistently breaks Apple news and does so oft-reliably.

Rumor accuracy

Rumor list

• Green = True
• Red = False
• Yellow = Pending

2021

February

• 2021 MacBook Pro getting SD card reader
  • And HDMI port

January

2021 MacBook Pro, link

• 14 and 16-inch models
• Revamped chassis with “flat-edged form factor”
• Touch Bar replaced by physical function row
• MagSafe is returning
• More I/O will be added
• Apple Silicon exclusively inside

New products coming in 2021, link

• AR device
• AirPods 3
• 14/16-inch MBP
• AirTags
• New iPad Pro with Mini-LED

2020

December 12

• 2021 iPhone models will launch in September 2021, link

December 2

• Mini-LED MacBook Air coming in 2022, link
• 2-3 new chargers coming in 2021

November 25

2021 Apple Watch, link

• “Improved form factor design”
• “Innovative health management functions”

• Redesigned Macs coming in second half of 2021
• AirPods 3 coming in April-June 2021

November 5

• 2021 iPhones coming in same 4 sizes, link
  • Ultra-wide camera on Pro models has larger aperture and better autofocus

September 23

• Mini-LED coming to new iPad Pro first, link
  • As soon as the fourth quarter of 2020

September 14

iPhone 12

• No 120Hz display on iPhone 12, link
  • Coming in 2021
• 5.4-inch will have slightly smaller notch
  • All other models have same-size notch
• Smaller internal batteries

Other products

• 2020 iPad Air will have Touch ID in power button
• Apple Watch Series 6 will have blood oxygen support
• Future iPad in 2021 will adopt Touch ID in power button

July 21

• Periscope iPhone lens coming in 2022, link
• 2020 iPhone gaining improved autofocus

July 10

• First ARM Macs will include MacBook Air, link
• Redesigned 14/16-inch MacBook Pros coming in 2021, link

June 28

iPhone 12 models:

• Won’t include headphones, link
• Won’t include a charger
• A new 20W charger will be sold separately

June 22

• AirPods 3 will have “similar to AirPods Pro” design, link

June 21

• First ARM Macs:
  • 13-inch MacBook Pro, link
    • Coming in late 2020/early 2021
  • 24-inch iMac
    • “All-new form factor design”
    • Coming in late 2020/early 2021

May 20

• Special AirPods promo in the second half of 2020, link

May 14

• Apple AR glasses coming as soon as 2022, link
• New 10.8-inch iPad coming in the second half of 2020
• New 8.5-9-inch iPad mini coming in the first half of 2021

April 23

• New AirPods 3 will have same design as AirPods 2 but updated internals, link
  • Coming in the first half of 2021
• AirPods Pro refresh coming in the fourth quarter of 2021 or first quarter of 2022

April 21

• iPhone SE Plus now coming in the second half of 2021, link

March 26

• Multiple new Macs coming in 2021 with Apple designed ARM processors, link
• Macs gaining USB4 support in 2022

March 23

• 2020 6.7-inch iPhone Pro to have sensor-shift image stabilization, link

March 11

• New MacBook Pro with scissor keyboard coming in the second quarter of 2020, link
• New MacBook Air with scissor keyboard coming in the second quarter of 2020
• All-new design MacBook models coming in the second or third quarter of 2021, link

March 3

• Six new mini-LED products are coming: 12.9-inch iPad Pro, 27-inch iMac Pro, 14.1/16-inch MacBook Pro models, 10.2-inch iPad and 7.9-inch iPad mini, link
• New iMac Pro launching in the fourth quarter of 2020
• New iPad mini coming later in 2020

February 24

• First Mac with Apple-designed ARM processor to release in the first half of 2021, link

February 17

• iPhone SE launch still happening in the first half of 2020 even with coronavirus disruption, link

January 29

• Smaller wireless charging mat coming in the first half of 2020, link
• UWB tag coming in the first half of 2020
• High-end Bluetooth headphones coming in the first half of 2020

January 12

• All 5G iPhones to release in Fall 2020, link

2019

December 11, 2019

• No major price increase for 2020 iPhone lineup, link

December 5, 2019

• Five new 2020 iPhone models in total (4.7, 5.4, 6.1, 6.1 & 6.7-inch)
• First completely wireless iPhone coming in 2021, link
• Plus-sized iPhone SE 2 with 5.5/6.1-inch screen coming in 2021
  • Touch ID in power button

December 2, 2019

• 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Mini-LED displays coming in the second half of 2020
• 16-inch MacBook Pro also coming then

November 13, 2019

• New iPad Pro and iPhone SE models still slated for release in the first half of 2020

November 11, 2019

Apple Watch Series 6:

• Faster performance
• Improved water resistance
• Faster wireless transmission

October 29, 2019

• New MacBook with scissor keyboard coming mid 2020

October 28, 2019

• iPhone SE 2 launch at end of March, link

October 13, 2019

iPhone SE 2 additional specs rumored:

• $399, link
• 64/128GB storage tiers
• Space Gray, Silver and Red colorways
• No 3D Touch

October 9, 2019

• iPad Pro with 3D ToF camera coming first quarter of 2020
• New MacBook with scissor keyboard coming second quarter of 2020
• Apple AR headset to launch in second quarter of 2020

October 3, 2019

iPhone SE 2:

• Launching in first quarter of 2020
• Hardware similar to iPhone 8
• A13 processor
• 3GB RAM

September 29, 2019

• Mini-LED displays coming to top-end iPad and MacBook models between late 2020 and the middle of 2021

September 25, 2019

• 2020 iPhones will have significant redesign with iPhone 4-like metal frame

September 9, 2019

2019 iPhones:

• No Apple Pencil support
• Keep Lightning port
• 5.8 and 6.5-inch models ship with 18W USB-C charging brick
• 6.1-inch model ships with 5W USB-A charging brick
• Bilateral wireless charging may not make the cut
• Design of phones unchanged, but new colors expected
• Triple-lens camera on 5.8 and 6.5-inch models
• UWB support on all three new models

September 6, 2019

• Apple Tags to boast UWB technology

August 5, 2019

• Touch ID + Face ID iPhone to debut in 2021

July 29, 2019

• Two 2020 iPhones models gaining 3D ToF cameras

July 28, 2019

• All 2020 iPhones gaining 5G

July 25, 2019

• 16-inch MacBook Pro will get scissor keyboard

July 4, 2019

• Apple scissor keyboard will debut on 2019 MacBook Air

June 17, 2019

• 2020 iPhones
  • 5.4
  • 6.1
  • 6.7-inch sizes

April 24, 2019

• All-new form factor AirPods with higher price
• Upgraded AirPods 3 with same design and price

April 22, 2019

• 2020 iPhones will support 5G

April 18, 2019

• 12MP 2019 iPhone front cameras
• iPhone XS/XS Max successors gain triple camera setup (12MP wide-angle, telephoto and ultra-wide)
• iPhone XR successor gets dual-lens camera setup
• 2019 iPhone front cameras and ultra-wide cameras get “inconspicuous” black coating

April 8, 2019

• Pro Display XDR going Mini-LED in 2019
• 10-12-inch iPad going Mini-LED in late 2020/early 20201
• 15-17-inch MacBook going Mini-LED in 1H21

April 1, 2019

• Bilateral charging for 2019 iPhones reaffirmed
• 2019 iPhones gaining larger batteries

March 8, 2019

• Apple AR Glasses launching in 2020

February 17, 2019

• 2019 iPhone features:
  • Lightning connector
  • Same-size notch as 2018
  • Ultra-wide band connectivity (UWB)
  • Frosted glass
  • Upgraded Face ID
  • Larger batteries
  • Triple camera module
• 2019 iPhones gaining bilateral wireless charging
• New 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED and 6.1-inch LCD 2019 iPhone screen sizes
• iPad 9.7-inch increasing to 10.2-inches
• New iPad mini with faster processor
• 13-inch MacBook Pro adding 32GB RAM option
• New 16-inch MacBook Pro with new design
• Redesigned Mac Pro with “easy to upgrade components”
• 31.6-inch Apple 6k display with “outstanding picture quality”
• Apple Watch expanding ECG country support
• Apple Watch ceramic casing option returns
• New iPod touch with faster processor
• AirPods 2 shipments begin in 1H19, will support:
  • Wireless charging
  • Upgraded Bluetooth
• AirPower shipments begin in 1H19

2018

December 2, 2018

• New AirPods with wireless charging coming in the first quarter of 2019, link
• All-new design AirPods coming in the first quarter of 2020

November 12, 2018

• 2019 iPhones models will gain MPI antenna tech, link

November 1, 2018

• 2019 iPhones to have upgraded flood illuminator Face ID component, link
• Apple to debut ToF camera on iPad in early 2020

October 23, 2018

New iPad Pro:

• Improved display, link
• Redesigned Apple Pencil

New iPad mini:

• Upgraded processor
• Launching as soon as October 2018 media event but may come next year

October 15, 2018

• 2019 iPhones will see no change in water resistance from 2018, link
• 2019 iPhones will come in same sizes as 2018 (5.8/6.1/6.5-inch), link

September 12, 2018

• 2019 iPhones will not feature ToF camera, link

September 10, 2018

• 2018 iPad Pro, link
  • USB-C to replace Lightning
  • 18W power brick bundled
• 2018 iPhones will ship with 5W power brick
• 6.1-inch iPhone delayed until late September/early October
• 12-inch MacBook will be discontinued after new MacBook Air announced
• New MacBook Air will have Touch ID sensor
• Apple Watch Series 4:
  • Slimmer bezels
  • Ceramic backs on all models
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) functionality
• AirPower still expected before end of 2018
• New AirPods still expected before end of 2018

September 4, 2018

• 2019 iPhones will not get in-display Touch ID, link

July 5, 2018

• 5.8/6.5-inch iPhone models to come in Black, White and Gold, link
• 6.1-inch iPhone to come in red, blue, orange, gray, and white

June 4, 2018

• 2018 iPhones to see lower pricing, link
• All 2018 iPhones to be released in September 2018

March 27, 2018

Apple Watch Series 4:

• New design, link
• ~15% larger display
• Longer battery life
• New health features

March 23, 2018

• Low-cost 9.7-inch iPad to support Apple Pencil, link

March 3, 2018

• New MacBook Air coming in the second quarter of 2018, with
  • Lower price, link

February 24, 2018

• New over-ear headphones in development
  • Launching as early as the fourth quarter of 2018, link
• New AirPods launching in the second half of 2018, with:
  • Similar design to original AirPods
  • Wireless charging case
  • Upgraded W1 chip

February 4, 2018

• Intel to be exclusive modem supplier for 2018 iPhones, link

January 29, 2018

• iPhone SE 2 launch unlikely in the near future, link

January 28, 2018

New 2018 5.8/6.5-inch iPhones:

• 4GB RAM, link
• 6.5-inch model to have 3,300-3,400 mAh battery

January 23, 2018

New 2018 6.1-inch iPhone:

• Aluminum frame, link
• Single rear camera
• 3GB RAM
• No 3D Touch
• $700-800

January 22, 2018

• Apple to discontinue iPhone X when new 2018 iPhones launch, link