Tim Cook (CEO - Apple)
After a whirlwind release schedule that brought two new Apple Watches, four new iPhones, a new HomePod, and a speedy new processor for the Mac, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is already looking ahead to 2020. And it could be another huge year.
In a report to investors and obtained by Macrumors, Kuo laid out his predictions for several of Apple’s products spreading across all of next year. Among the new releases he expects:
iPad: Kuo noted that demand for the iPad Air has been better than expected and Apple looks to continue that momentum into the new year.
New Pro models with mini-LED displays as well as 5G modems are expected in the first half of the year, while a new low-priced iPad will likely launch in the second half half of the year, presumably a replacement for eighth-gen iPad or the iPad mini.
AirPods: As rumoured, Kuo believes Apple will launch a new model of AirPods that adopt a design “similar to AirPods Pro” in the second quarter of 2021.
Apple Watch: Sales of the Apple Watch SE and Series 6 have been robust, according to Kuo, but 2021 could be an even bigger year for Apple’s wearable. Kuo doesn’t offer much detail, but he says the Series 7 will feature “innovative health management functions and improved form factor design.”
A new form factor would be a huge change for the Apple Watch, as Apple has only offered slight tweaks since the first model landed in 2015.
Macs: Now that Apple got the ball rolling with the first M1 Macs, Kuo expects Apple to continue the transition throughout 2021.
Following the launch of the low-end 13-inch MacBook, Kuo says new MacBook models are on the way in the second half of 2021 with a new design, likely finally bringing the long-rumoured 14-inch MacBook Pro. Also on the docket are new iMacs with a dramatic redesign, though Kuo doesn’t mention them in this report.
iPhone 13: While he didn’t mention the iPhone in this report, Kuo previously claimed that the iPhone 13 will keep the same line-up but enhance the cameras on the Pro models even further, specifically on the Pro models.
According to Macrumors, “the Ultra Wide cameras on the two high-end models will be significantly upgraded to f/1.8, 6P (six-element lens) with autofocus,” compared to f/2.4, 5P (five-element lens) Ultra Wide cameras with fixed focus on the current models.
