Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo

2022 MacBook Air will be redesigned, have new Mini-LED display
The rumor: The next MacBook Pro will be the most significant upgrade since the original model was unveiled, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- The next MacBook Air will be redesigned, and it’s possible we may have already seen what it will look like
- It is also said to don a Mini-LED display like the one found on the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro
- More recent rumors have suggested the new MacBook Air will have an M2 chip inside and ship in the first half of next year
Our take: The next MacBook Air…kind of sounds like a pro device? I’m sure the performance won’t be as wild as the MacBook Pro, but I’m surprised to hear Mini-LED is coming to the Air so soon.
July 9, 2021
11-inch iPad Pro to get Mini-LED next year
The rumor: Apple is planning to expand Mini-LED on iPad Pro to the smaller model in 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- Next year, Apple will significantly step up their Mini-LED game, expanding it from the 12.9-inch model to the 11-inch iPad Pro as well
- Apple is planning a gradual transition of many of their products to this new display tech
Our take: I think everybody saw this coming, and I fully believe that the supply bottleneck is the only reason it didn’t happen on the 2021 refresh. But this is even more confusing considering that OLED is supposed to be coming to iPads in 2022…
July 8, 2021
2022 iPhone lineup to consist of multiple 6.7-inch ‘Max’ models, under-display Touch ID also coming
The rumor: Apple is planning to revamp the sizing for the 2022 iPhones, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- According to Kuo’s latest investor note, Apple is planning to eliminate the mini iPhone and do essentially the following lineup:
  - 6.1-inch iPhone
  - 6.7-inch iPhone Max
  - 6.1-inch iPhone Pro
  - 6.7-inch iPhone Pro Max
- The lower-end 6.7-inch iPhone is predicted to start at under $900
- Under-display Touch ID has also been rumored again, but is also supposed to happen on the new iPhones coming later this year
Our take: This is huge news, as the market demand for sub-$900 6.7-inch iPhone would be wild. The plus-to-max sized iPhones have always been Apple’s most expensive, but this shift to a lower-end big iPhone is something that a lot of people have been asking for. Good riddance to the mini iPhone in 2022.
June 23, 2021
Next iPhone SE to release in first half of 2022
The rumor: The next-generation iPhone SE is coming in the first half of 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- The new iPhone SE is said to look similar to the current version, but with a faster processor and 5G connectivity
- No specific dates/months were mentioned, just that a new iPhone SE will launch in the first half of next year
Our take: This is just a reiteration of an earlier report from March. Takeaway here is that Apple has no plans for a new SE this year, which previous rumors from other sources had indicated.
June 23, 2021
2023 iPhones may include Apple-designed 5G modem
The rumor: An Apple-designed 5G modem will debut in just a couple of years, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- A 5G modem designed by Apple may debut as soon as 2023, as Apple plans to stop using Qualcomm’s modems
- Apple is pushing forward on their quest to design and produce more and more of the components inside the iPhone
Our take: Seeing this makes me think about other parts of the iPhone that Apple might want to design and manufacture one day. Will Apple-designed screens and less of a reliance on Samsung’s tech be next?
May 10, 2021
iPad mini 6 now expected to release in second half of 2021
The rumor: Apple’s next-generation iPad mini is still months away, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- Kuo’s updated estimate suggests the iPad mini 6 is coming in the second half of 2021, versus sometime in the first half
- An updated iPad mini has been rumored for years now, and is expected to have a larger display with slimmer bezels and faster processor
Our take: Again, this is not the redesigned iPad mini that so many want…just a tweaked version of the existing model. Like most product delays, I’m sure there’s some reason behind this, but it also seems like Apple has been sitting on the new mini for some time.
May 3, 2021
iPhone 13 may bring mmWave 5G to more countries
The rumor: Apple is planning to expand the fastest 5G to more countries on iPhone 13, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (75% accurate).
- In a new research note we obtained, Kuo says that mmWave 5G is expanding to more countries on the 2021 iPhones
- mmWave is the fastest kind of 5G that allows for speeds of over a gigabit/s
Our take: Living in the US, I forget that only US iPhone 12 models support mmWave currently. While I don’t get why this wasn’t released everywhere in 2020…I’m glad to hear that it’s expanding on the 2021 iPhones.
April 19, 2021
Apple eliminating 5.4-inch iPhone mini size by next year
The rumor: Apple’s iPhone sizes will be 5.4-inches shorter by 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- In a new research note, Kuo says that only 6.1 and 6.7-inch models will be offered in 2022, which would make the lineup look something like this:
  - iPhone 14: 6.1-inch
  - iPhone 14 Max: 6.7-inch
  - iPhone 14 Pro: 6.1-inch
  - iPhone 14 Pro Max: 6.7-inch
- The 2022 iPhones are also rumored to feature a punch hole design and upgraded cameras
Our take: With extremely sluggish sales, this is no surprise at all. I’m quite shocked that we’re getting an iPhone 13 mini this year, all things considered. I have iPhone 12 mini and it’s a great phone! But it’s far too small for me.
April 14, 2021
In split from others, Kuo says no new AirPods at March event
The rumor: Apple’s third generation AirPods are not coming at Apple’s March event, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (76.6% accurate).
- In a new research not obtained by AppleTrack, Kuo said mass production for AirPods 3 is not planned until Q3 2021, between July 1 and September 30
- Other sources, like Kang (97.8% accurate) and Jon Prosser (78.2% accurate) said that new AirPods are ready to ship now
Our take: I think Kuo is wrong here because his track record lower than both Kang and Prosser. Odd to see him go against two higher-rated sources, but perhaps he is referring to AirPods Pro 2, instead?
March 15, 2021
2023 iPhone to get full-screen design with no notch or cutouts
The rumor: Apple is preparing the iPhone of our dreams for the next major redesign in 2023, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (78.2% accurate).

Here’s what to expect:
- All current visual distractions may be eliminated for a true all-screen design, with no notch or other cutouts visible
- A new periscope telephoto lens will be added for additional zoom capabilities
- Under-screen Touch ID will also be present
Our take: This is my dream device. Makes sense that Apple is saving most of these upgrades for the next super cycle release in a couple of years. This being said, Kuo notes that this device will only be possible if Apple continues to see good development progress.
March 1, 2021
2022 iPhone may remove notch in favor of hole-punch design
The rumor: Apple may be removing the notch in 2022, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (78.2% accurate).
- At least the Pro iPhones will see the notch removed in 2022, but Kuo says it could happen across all new models, too
- In lieu, Apple will adopt the hole-punch camera design popularized by Samsung and others
- Kuo says the 2022 iPhone will also get an autofocus front-facing camera
Our take: I’m starting to see a trend here from Apple’s approach to the 3 year super cycle:
1. Major redesign (ex. iPhone X, iPhone 12)
2. Minor refinements (ex. iPhone XS, 2021 iPhones)
3. Bigger refinements (ex. iPhone 11, 2022 iPhones)
I wonder if this means we’ll go notch/holeless in 2023?
March 1, 2021