New 3D sensing and augmented reality functions expected to come to the iPhone's rear camera in 2019 will require more power consumption, prompting Apple to find ways to increase battery capacity, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.
Even though Apple struggles to keep up with demand for the current AirPods design, the company may be working on hardware improvements to debut in the second half of 2018, according to well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple is developing L-shaped batteries to power two new OLED iPhone models set to debut next fall, according to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who notes all three handsets expected to launch next year will boast increased energy capacities.
Declaring AirPods "the most important accessory in Apple's wireless ecosystem," analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he believes the company could ship between 26 million and 28 million units of the completely wireless headphones next year.
With this year's iPhone revisions, Apple introduced a new breed of flexible circuit board crafted from liquid crystal polymer, a material that benefits high-speed, low-latency data transfer. Currently used in iPhone 8 and iPhone X LTE antennas, and the latter's TrueDepth camera, the technology is expected to make its way to other product lines next year.
This week's bump in iPhone X delivery estimates, now down to one to two weeks, fueled speculation of weakened demand for Apple's flagship handset, but noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the change is due to better than expected supply chain enhancements and parts availability.
Apple's next-generation iPhone lineup, due for debut in 2018, will build on LTE antenna technology introduced with iPhone X to support ultra-fast transmissions speeds designated by 4x4 MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) standards.
Apple is said to have three new iPhone models in the pipeline for a late 2018 launch, two of which will be the company's biggest handsets ever, crossing the six-inch threshold with new edge-to-edge OLED and traditional LCD models.
Reports from the supply chain suggest that any production problems that may have plagued the iPhone X are long past, and Apple and its manufacturing partners will increase production to ship about 26 million of the OLED model in the holiday quarter.
Supply chain reports suggest that Apple will expand it's casing business for the 2018 iPhone to Catcher and Casetek, with a new casing required to improve data transmission quality.
Despite analyst guesses to the contrary, Apple will likely retain the all-plastic lens stack implemented in iPhone X as a basis for its 2018 iPhone product line, according to well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple's forward facing TrueDepth camera system, which powers Face ID on the iPhone X, won't make it to the company's rear facing cameras next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.
Apple's iPhone X production woes are nearing an end, according to well-informed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says shortages of key components like specialized handset circuit boards should resolved in November.
Apple is going all in on Face ID, according to well-connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes the company will completely abandon its Touch ID capacitive fingerprint recognition system in favor of the depth-sensing technology when it introduces next year's iPhone lineup.
After launching next month on the iPhone X, Apple's Face ID technology will reportedly make its way to the iPad in 2018, potentially paving the way for the elimination of the home button on the company's touchscreen tablet.
According to well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Android hardware makers have turned their attention away from under-display fingerprint readers and toward 3D sensing technologies like those Apple debuted with iPhone X, a flip-flop designed to capture customer sentiment.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has slashed his forecast for iPhone X shipments this fall to between 30 million and 35 million units, though he also told investors that any negative reaction to production issues could make for an attractive opportunity to buy more shares of AAPL.
Sales of Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are off to a solid start despite claims from analysts and media citing a lower than usual turnout at Apple store locations as evidence of decreased interest in the new smartphone lineup.
The premium-priced iPhone X is on track to be a colossal success for Apple, but whether or not the company can overcome production issues to satisfy consumer demand remains a major question mark ahead of its November launch.
With the launch of Face ID on iPhone X, and the subsequent removal of Touch ID, users are wondering whether Apple's legacy fingerprint biometric solution is dead in the water. According to one analyst, that answer depends as much on the public reception of the new facial recognition system as it does technical hurdles involving an under-screen Touch ID system.
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Neil Hughes
Mikey Campbell
Mike Wuerthele
