Vadim Yuryev
Prolific Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo published a list of products Apple is expected to ship in 2019. AppleInsider takes a look at the hardware list, and spells out which could potentially be in user's hands before the end of this year.
On Sunday, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a note to investors, attempting to forecast what kinds of hardware and new products Apple will launch over the next 11 months. While the list does include many already-anticipated items, Kuo also included a number of items that were not previously discussed.
Track Record
Ming-Chi Kuo has been in the analyst game for a very long time. Even so, Kuo is like other analysts in that he isn't always right, so it's not wise to take his notes as the absolute truth. It is worth noting that, previously, he has been accurate with his last two research notes regarding Apple's product releases ahead of their launches.
Back in July of 2018, Kuo predicted three new iPhone models were on the way, along with refreshed iPad Pros with Face ID, new Macs, Apple Watches with larger displays, new AirPods, and the release of AirPower.
A graphic produced by TF International Securities detailing some of Kuo's September 10 predictionsTwo months later on September 10th, two days before Apple's September Event, he released another research note, adding more things to the list including an 18W USB-C power adapter, Touch ID on the new low-priced MacBook, ECG support and an all-ceramic back on the Apple Watch and more.
Kuo got almost everything right. He missed on the iMac, which we've yet to see, AirPods, and AirPower. While the latter two have been hit with delays, rumors suggest launches for both will occur in 2019.
iPhone and iPod touch
Kuo expects the 2019 iPhone lineup to stay pretty much the same as the current-generation models, with the same three variations of iPhone maintaining the same old notch.
He also believes the 6.1-inch model will keep the LCD display instead of moving to OLED to match the rest of the trio, but he says it may be upgraded to have 4 gigabytes of RAM like the other two iPhones.
All three models will apparently maintain the Lightning port instead of switching to USB-C, but there's no mention of what charger will ship in the box. We can only hope that Apple will include their 18W USB-C fast-charging capable power adapter with a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box, as while the old 5W adapter does the job, it's a lot slower than it could be.
Render of what the 2019 iPhone could look like with a triple rear cameraAll or part of the new iPhone lineup is expected to include a frosted glass casing, similar to the Google Pixel 3, Ultra-Wide Band for more accurate GPS and location-tracking, upgraded Face ID with a more powerful flood illuminator, larger batteries, and a triple camera setup that features a new ultra-wide lens.
Along with all of that, he suggests there could be the addition of what he's calling bilateral wireless charging, namely repurposing the wireless charging coils to allow the iPhone to provide power to other devices wirelessly, a feature that could be handy for accessories such as the AirPods Wireless Charging Case, which he expects to be released in the first half of 2019.
If you don't want to use your iPhone to charge your AirPods, Kuo is also anticipating the long-awaited AirPower charging mat sooner rather than later.
He's also expecting a new iPod touch that will ship with an upgraded processor.
iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro
Kuo believes we'll be seeing two new iPad Pro models with upgraded processors. While this is a fairly easy-to-guess item, it probably won't happen soon as the iPad Pro just got upgraded in October with the most powerful mobile chips Apple has produced. If they do come this year, it'll most likely be towards the fall or winter. .
We're also expecting two new iPads including the iPad Mini 5 and a seventh-generation iPad. Both models will continue to use a lightning connector, rather than shift over to USB-C like the iPad Pro, as well as sticking with Touch ID instead of moving to Face ID.
Fourth-generation iPad mini, a design the fifth-generation model is expected to emulateThey should both get upgraded processors, but Kuo believes that the 9.7-inch iPad will move to a 10.2-inch display instead. It is likely to maintain the same form factor as usual, but get slightly slimmed down bezels to match the larger screen size.
Two new iPads are likely to surface soon, since regulatory filings for them have already surfaced, so it's just a matter of time before they get released. Last year's iPad was released at Apple's March event, and it is already expected a similar event will take place on March 25th, there's a good chance they will be released at that time.
Apple Watch
For the Apple Watch, Kuo doesn't yet expect very much. He simply believes that the ceramic casing design that was excluded from the Series 4 will be coming back, but it isn't clear if it's for the existing model or for a new Series 5 version.
He also believes the ECG feature will be coming to additional countries this year. Currently it is limited to work in the United States, as Apple has to pass regulatory muster in other regions before enabling the function elsewhere.
MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, and Monitor
Kuo's predictions for the Mac product family is where some of the more exciting elements lie, with three all-new products tipped for launch. First and most unexpected, Kuo believes Apple will release a 16-inch to 16.5-inch MacBook Pro.
The current 15-inch MacBook Pro won't be the largest MacBook on sale if Kuo is correctUp until 2012, Apple sold a 17-inch MacBook Pro, so this isn't the first time Apple will have offered a notebook larger than 15 inches in size. It is thought there are many people who would love to see a larger MacBook Pro, and not just for the extra real-estate, as the physical gains could also bring with it a larger battery, better cooling, and higher specifications to match its stature.
For the smaller 13-inch MacBook Pro, it is expected to gain an option to have 32 gigabytes of RAM, following the 15-inch model's maximum memory capacity upgrade from 2018.
The Mac Pro, thought to be released sometime this year, is already expected to be a modular computer following Apple's comments on the redesign process made in April 2017. While little else is advised about the Mac Pro, Kuo adds the design this time around will feature easy-to-upgrade components.
After a tease on 2017, in April of 2018, Apple confirmed the model is a 2019 product. Given the amount of time spent designing it, a launch of the Mac Pro is all but certain before the end of the year, but it remains to be seen how modular it will end up being.
The current Mac pro uses a considerably less upgradable design than the modular version on the wayFinally, anticipated to launch alongside the new Mac Pro is a brand new high-resolution monitor.
At a time when 5K2K widescreen displays are coming on the market, Kuo is expecting Apple to release a 31.6-inch 6K3K display. The 6K3K term basically means a 6K resolution on the wide end and 3K resolution on the tall end, approximately 6,144 x 3,072 pixels, and equates to almost 4 million pixels more than the current iMac 5K's display.
To go with the high resolution, it is also thought to have outstanding picture quality, courtesy of a Mini LED-like backlight design.
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11 Comments
Who are Kuo’s clients anyway?
A 8 TB Seagate BarraCuda Pro SATA HDD, 7200 RPM, 6 Gb/s transfer rate, 256 MB cache, 3.5 inch internal hard drive for desktop computers has a retail price of $272.57 on Amazon, while the top of the line 14 TB model has a retail price of $576.29. The 10 TB model sells for $344.99 and the 12 TB model sells for $437.99.
If these internal hard disk drives for desktop computers are available from Amazon, Seagate and Hitachi (HGT), I expect them to be available when buying a brand new iMac. It's both a question of meeting my needs and future proofing my purchase of a brand new iMac.
There is no excuse for offering brand new iMacs with only 2 or 3 TB Fusion drives. Leave a cheaper option with a 2 TB Fusion drive, but offer a standard 6 TB Fusion drive with a 256 GB SSD and optional increments of 8 TB to 14 TB Fusion drives with a 256 GB SSD. As Apple offers iPads and iPhones that come standard with a 256 GB SSD, it should be easy to standardize on 256 GB SSDs for Fusion drives in iMacs.
3 - Exceptional sound quality comparable to the iMac 2009-2012, possibly due to the great acoustics of the iMac 2009-2012 form factor and the loudspeakers used. Needless to say, exceptional sound quality is a key feature for anyone who stores his digital music collection on an iMac and enjoys listening to music while performing other tasks on an iMac.
4 - A next generation desktop CPU and desktop GPU for the all-in-one desktop iMac, not the less powerful CPU and GPU alternatives typically used in portable computers.
5 - A RAM access door to add memory modules after the iMac is bought.
6 - Possibly a digital FM radio tuner to make it possible to listen to music, talk shows and local news while working on an iMac. I dream of the possibility to watch TV news and series in the top right corner of an iMac while using the iMac to work or read, but I accept that the time has not come yet for such a feature.
7 - Possibly a larger display, a 30, 32 or 35 inch display, just like Apple was the first computer maker to offer in 2009 a standard 27 inch display in an all-in-one computer for the general public.
8 - Possibly some connectors on the right side of the iMac's display for easier occasional access to connectors, let's say 2 USB connectors and 1 or 2 Thunderbolt connectors.
9 - Possibly a better air flow with the possibility for each user to set the fans to run all the time at 10% of their maximum speed, thereby providing a quiet but constant air flow. At present, there is a third party utility "TG Pro" with similar functionality, but it would be great if it were included in every iMac.
I hope that this comment was helpful to Apple and Apple engineers as they work on the features to include in the next iMac. An exceptional design for the right price should rekindle iMac sales.
The 31” 6k monitor sounds interesting. And expensive.
Haven’t bought an external monitor in years because there is nothing on the market that compares to the 5k display on iMac, and I’m not going to switch between that and something largely inferior.