Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo

  • AirPods Pro 2 again rumored to release later this year

    AirPods Pro 2 again rumored to release later this year

    The rumor: Apple’s highest-end earbuds are getting an update in 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    • AirPods Pro 2 are said to be releasing in the second half of this year, between July and December, according to the latest tweet from Kuo (see below)
    • The current version of AirPods Pro is likely to be discontinued at this time, in order to spur sales of the second-generation model…and avoid the lackluster sales Apple is reportedly seeing for AirPods 3, as AirPods 2 are still being sold

    Sam’s take: Even though AirPods 2 are a different shape than AirPods 3, I found it incredibly odd that Apple kept them on sale following the announcement of AirPods 3 last year. I feel like the vast majority of folks will go for the cheaper option when presented with both in an Apple Store unless they are grabbing the Pros. Which, by the way, already leaked a few months back…in the same bud design as now but with a revamped case that has speakers.

  • iPhone 14 again rumored to NOT have under-display Touch ID as Face ID continues to improve

    iPhone 14 again rumored to NOT have under-display Touch ID as Face ID continues to improve

    The rumor: The iPhone will not feature an under-display fingerprint scanner until at least 2025, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    Ian’s Take: Every year, analysts say that under-display Touch ID is coming…but then always end up saying that it is happening in the following year. I would love for Touch ID to be reintroduced as I still have trouble unlocking my phone while wearing a mask, but we shouldn’t hold our breath, according to Kuo.

  • What? Nobody is buying the new iPhone SE…

    What? Nobody is buying the new iPhone SE…

    The rumor: Apple is selling fewer new iPhone SE models than they expected, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate) and Nikkei Asia (rating pending, source).

    • “Apple plans to make about 20% fewer iPhone SEs next quarter than originally planned, in one of the first signs that the Ukraine war and looming inflation have started to dent consumer electronics demand” Nikkei Asia says
    • Ming-Chi Kuo has also lowered his shipment estimations for all of 2022, down to 15-20 million units (versus 25-30 million before)

    Sam’s take: To be clear, even on the low-end, selling 15 million phones is still good. Sure, it’s not out of this world or explosive sales, but it’s still a metric ton of $429 iPhones that people will get and love. Nikkei Asia specifically points to the war in Ukraine and inflation as reasons for why the phone isn’t selling as well as expected: I think this is reasonable short term, but couldn’t these exact pressures also push customers to buy this low-end model instead of a higher-end phone longer-term?

    I also really think it’s possible that folks might be moving on from this dated 4.7-inch design that we’ve had since 2014. Nobody, other than the carriers, really cares about 5G, and the better battery life on this model is not a big leap. Aside from that…it’s identical to the previous version. Even my mom, who has long been a base iPhone user, moved up to a larger iPhone 13 this cycle. Again, this is purely speculation, but a design this old has to stop selling well at some point, right? Regardless of how “affordable” it is…

  • iPhone 14 Pro will have an even LARGER camera bump…here’s why

    iPhone 14 Pro will have an even LARGER camera bump…here’s why

    The rumor: Apple’s new camera system on iPhone 14 Pro will have some big consequences, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    • “The main reason for the larger and more prominent rear-camera bump of the 14 Pro/Pro Max is upgrading the wide camera to 48MP,” Kuo says
    • This significantly higher megapixel system apparently means that multiple elements of the new camera system are increasing in size…contrary to what the initial renders of iPhone 14 depicted.

    Sam’s take: I can’t believe I actually thought, even for a second, that we would get a flush camera on an iPhone again. To be fair, I’m okay with the camera bump increasing if that means we’ll get some even crazier images and videos from iPhone 14…but it is getting to the point where it’s comical. How much further can you push a camera bump on a phone considering the iPhone 13 Pro is already pretty ridiculous?

  • Another rumor says Apple Watch Series 3 will FINALLY be discontinued this year

    Another rumor says Apple Watch Series 3 will FINALLY be discontinued this year

    The rumor: Apple’s most outdated watch will be going away soon, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    • Apple may discontinue the Series 3 Watch in the third quarter of 2022 due to its slow chip inside…
    • “The computing power can’t meet the requirements of the new watchOS,” Kuo says

    Sam’s take: This is now the second time we’ve heard that Apple is looking to nix the Apple Watch Series 3, and I hope with all my heart that it’s true. Due to the low $199 starting price, a lot of folks are rightfully drawn to this product…only to realize that using it isn’t a good experience in 2022. The processor is severely outdated, updates are a nightmare, and its age has shown for years now. Good riddance.

  • Kuo: No mini-LED for 11-inch iPad Pro or upcoming ‘Studio Display Pro’ in 2022

    Kuo: No mini-LED for 11-inch iPad Pro or upcoming ‘Studio Display Pro’ in 2022

    The report: Apple will not release devices that require new sized Mini-LED displays in 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    Ian’s Take: Kuo and Young, two very reputable sources, agree that the 11-inch iPad Pro will not get a Mini-LED display this year. This is disappointing as it seemed that Apple was finally starting to make their smaller devices equal to their larger devices (ex. iPhone 13 Pro vs. Pro Max, 14-inch MacBook Pro vs. 16-inch). While I agree with Kuo on the iPad Pro, I don’t agree with him on the upcoming ‘Studio Display Pro.’ I believe that if Apple wants to release a display in the $3000 range, it has to feature Mini-LED. It looks like we won’t have to wait long to see this display: Ross Young says it could release as early as June.

  • New rumor says iPhone 14 won’t get a faster chip, only Pro models will

    New rumor says iPhone 14 won’t get a faster chip, only Pro models will

    The rumor: The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will not feature the A16 processor, according to Ming-Chi Quo (72.5% accurate).

    The report…

    • Apple’s lower-end iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max are said to keep the same A15 processor that is seen on iPhone 13 now…but users spending more on iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will get a faster A16 chip year-over-year like always
    • Notably the 14 Pro series would also get faster LPDDR 5 RAM and the 14 series would get the slower LPDDR 4X RAM
    • Kuo also confirms the naming of this year’s lineup, iPhone 14 (6.1-inch), iPhone 14 Max (6.7-inch), iPhone 14 Pro (6.1-inch), and iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7-inch)

    Ian’s Take: It seems like more than ever Apple is trying to differentiate their “pro” line from their “consumer” line. Last year Apple gave the iPhone 13 Pro series one more GPU core, and now they are giving the iPhone 14 Pro an exclusive processor.

  • New Mac mini delayed until 2023, won’t have a new design (rumor)

    New Mac mini delayed until 2023, won’t have a new design (rumor)

    The rumor: The new Mac mini has been delayed till 2023 and is likely to keep the “same form factor design,” according to Ming-Chi Kuo (72.5% accurate).

    • While previously rumored to release later this year, Kuo is now saying that the Mac mini has been delayed… and it will share the design of the current Mac mini
    • Kuo refers to this device as a “more powerful Mac mini,” suggesting M1 Pro or Max chips could be inside
    • The Mac mini having no redesign is in opposition to Jon Prosser (69% accurate), who showed purported the design in early 2021

    Ian’s Take: It seems like we have been getting many conflicting rumors in the past week, and I do not know who to believe… I find it hard to believe that Apple doesn’t update the higher-spec Mac mini this year as the current model still features an Intel processor. Hopefully, as we get closer to release, sources will be in agreement.

  • Apple rumored to release new 30W GaN charger later this year

    Apple rumored to release new 30W GaN charger later this year

    The rumor: Apple will be releasing their second gallium nitride (GaN) charger in 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (70.4% accurate).

    Sam’s take: Charger news isn’t generally too exciting. But Apple’s current selection of power adapters is severely outdated compared to what third parties like Spigen are doing with their chargers (full disclosure: I work with Spigen regularly and love their stuff). GaN is simply better across the board and I look forward to Apple selling some more first party stuff with it soon.

  • New rumor says updated Mac mini and external display coming this year, new iMac Pro and Mac Pro in 2023

    New rumor says updated Mac mini and external display coming this year, new iMac Pro and Mac Pro in 2023

    The rumor: Apple will be updating their lower-end Mac desktops in 2022 and higher-end Mac offerings in 2023, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (70.4% accurate).

    • Later this year: Apple is said to release a “more powerful Mac mini and more affordable external display” that is a 27-inch non-Mini-LED panel
    • 2023: The iMac Pro and Mac Pro are said to be updated

    Sam’s take: There’s not much detail about why these Macs may be launching so far apart…and it event contradicts with Apple’s own timeline of the transition to Apple Silicon being complete by the end of 2022. But Kuo also tends to know things very far in the future, and the first half of his tweet lines up with what other sources have been saying.

  • Rumor: iPhone SE 3 will ship with mmWave 5G

    Rumor: iPhone SE 3 will ship with mmWave 5G

    The news: In his first-ever Twitter leak, established leaker Ming-Chi Kuo (70.4% accurate) predicts various details about the upcoming iPhone SE.

    The report…

    • Sub-6 GHz and mmWave 5G
    • Storage capacities of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB (returning after disappearing in September)
    • White, black and red colors
    • Similar form factor to the current iPhone SE
    • Mass production in March 2022…with estimated shipments of 25-30 million this year

    Ian’s Take: There is quite a bit of new information here. I am glad that Apple is bringing back 256GB; I was very confused when they got rid of it mid-cycle. Many people assumed that the SE 3 would only ship with Sub-6 GHz 5G, the lower spec, for cost-saving measures. But it looks like Apple will be giving their cheapest device the same 5G as their flagship iPhone 13 series. This will make the phone even more enticing for Android users looking to switch. Despite my excitement for mmWave, I am worried that battery life will be abysmal…

    Lastly, I am just so excited to see Kuo active on Twitter. Previously his reports had to be “obtained,” and now he is making them very accessible.