Ming-Chi Kuo

By MacRumors Staff
Ming-Chi Kuo is an analyst at TF International Securities, a financial services group in the Asia-Pacific region. He gathers intelligence from his contacts in Apple's Asian supply chain, translating the information he gleans into research notes for clients.

His research notes often provide a solid look at Apple's future plans and while he is not always correct, his predictions on future Apple products are accurate enough to make him one of the most reliable sources for Apple rumors. Kuo previously worked for KGI Securities, Concord Securities, and DigiTimes.

Ming-Chi Kuo Articles

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Kuo: Apple's Upcoming 5G and Wi-Fi Chips for iPhones Are Currently Two Different Chips

Thursday October 31, 2024 8:44 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said that at least one iPhone 17 model launching next year will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip. For years, Apple has also been rumored to be developing its own in-house 5G chip for iPhones, and Kuo has since provided some clarification about Apple's plans. Earlier this month, 9to5Mac reported that Apple's in-house 5G chip would...
Apple Wi Fi Chip Feature Triad

Kuo: iPhone 17 to Feature Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip

Thursday October 31, 2024 6:49 am PDT by
At least one iPhone 17 model launching next year will be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. All current iPhone models are equipped with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip supplied by Broadcom, but Kuo expects Apple to equip "nearly all" of its products with its own in-house Wi-Fi chip "within about three years." The analyst...
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iPhone SE 4 Mass Production Timeframe Revealed as Launch Gets Closer

Wednesday October 23, 2024 9:38 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE in December, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a blog post. The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM...
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Kuo: 2025 Apple Vision Pro to Get M5 Chip and Apple Intelligence

Friday September 27, 2024 2:14 am PDT by
Apple is developing a new version of its Vision Pro headset that is set to enter mass production in the second half of 2025, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo claims the most significant change in the new model will be the inclusion of Apple's M5 chip, a substantial upgrade from the M2 chip found in the current Vision Pro. The processor boost is expected to significantly improve...
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Kuo: iPhone 17 to Use 3nm Chip Tech, iPhone 18 Pro Models to Use 2nm

Thursday September 19, 2024 1:08 am PDT by
Next year's iPhone 17 series will feature processors made using TSMC's enhanced N3P 3-nanometer chip technology, but only iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026 are likely to use the Taiwanese chipmaker's next-generation 2nm processor technology because of cost concerns, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The terms "3nm" and "2nm" describe generations of chip manufacturing technology, each with...
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iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says

Sunday September 15, 2024 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...
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MacBook Pro Won't Switch to OLED Display Next Year, Two Analysts Say

Tuesday September 10, 2024 7:26 am PDT by
While it has been rumored that the MacBook Pro will eventually get an OLED display, two analysts believe that change won't happen next year. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display industry analyst Ross Young today both predicted that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will continue to use mini-LED displays in 2025. This lines up with previous rumors that have claimed the ...
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Kuo: Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 to Launch Next Year

Tuesday September 10, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today predicted that an Apple Watch Ultra 3 and an Apple Watch SE 3 will be released in 2025. Nearly a year ago, Kuo predicted that there might not be an Apple Watch Ultra 3 this year, and that prediction appears to be accurate. The only new Apple Watch announced during Apple's event yesterday was the Apple Watch Series 10, while the Apple Watch Ultra...
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Kuo: Apple's 5G Modem to Rapidly Roll Out in iPhones Starting Next Year

Friday September 6, 2024 8:49 am PDT by
Apple is rumored to have been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, and it appears the chip will finally debut next year. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today estimated that shipments of Apple's in-house 5G chip will reach 35-40 million units in 2025, and "grow rapidly" to 90-110 million units in 2026 and 160-180 million units in 2027. Kuo previously said two iPhone ...
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Kuo: Next Year's Upgrade to 12GB RAM Will Be Limited to iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday August 28, 2024 7:51 pm PDT by
Just a day after a noted leaker on Chinese microblogging site Weibo suggested the iPhone 17 lineup in 2025 could see an upgrade to 12GB of RAM across the board, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the upgrade will be limited to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If Kuo is correct, it means the smaller ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro, the base ‌iPhone 17‌, and the all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" will stick with the 8GB...
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Kuo: Folding All-Screen MacBook Delayed Until Late 2027 At the Earliest

Thursday August 22, 2024 3:50 am PDT by
Apple's rumored foldable MacBook won't arrive until the end of 2027 or 2028 at the earliest because of technical challenges, according to the latest prediction by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Concept by Astropad Previous reports from display industry analyst Ross Young, Haitong analyst Jeff Pu, Korean website The Elec, and Kuo himself suggested that Apple is developing an all-display foldable...
iPhone 15 Pro Cameras

iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Be First Model to Feature Three 48MP Cameras

Thursday July 25, 2024 4:25 am PDT by
Next year's iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature an upgraded 48-megapixel Tetraprism camera for enhanced photo quality and zoom functionality, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an n-iphone-tetraprism-upgrade-ca62dd37e364">investor note published to Medium, Kuo said the key specification change would be a 1/2.6" 48MP CIS sensor, up from the 1/3.1" 12MP sensor expected to be used in this...
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Kuo: iPhone SE 4 and Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Use Apple's Own 5G Chip

Wednesday July 24, 2024 1:19 pm PDT by
Apple is rumored to have been working on its own 5G modem for iPhones since 2018, but the project has reportedly faced numerous challenges and delays. At last, however, the project may be finally getting closer to completion. In a short article posted on social media platform X today, well-known Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said two iPhone models with an Apple-designed 5G modem...
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Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
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Kuo: 2026 iPhone to Use New Advanced Camera Sensor From Samsung

Wednesday July 24, 2024 4:06 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone will adopt a new 1/2.6-inch 48MP Ultra Wide CMOS image sensor (CIS) made by Samsung as early as 2026, breaking Sony's years-long monopoly as Apple's CIS supplier, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in a brief report published on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo said Samsung has already established a dedicated team within its ranks to work on the camera components with a ...
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Kuo: Apple Delays Change Aimed at Saving Space Inside Future iPhones

Wednesday July 17, 2024 7:09 am PDT by
Apple no longer plans to use resin-coated copper for logic boards in iPhone 17 models next year, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Kuo said resin-coated copper failed to meet Apple's "high-quality requirements," leading to the company scrapping its plans to adopt the material for iPhone 17 models. It is unclear if Apple will revisit resin-coated copper for iPhone 18 models or...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...
iphone 16 pro battery kosutami

New iPhone Battery Should Be Up to 10% Denser for Longer Life

Sunday June 30, 2024 11:48 am PDT by
A new iPhone battery with a metal casing should allow for higher energy density to deliver longer battery life, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims. Alleged iPhone 16 Pro battery with new metal casing. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kuo said that Apple's adoption of a stainless steel casing for the ‌iPhone‌'s battery will allow for five to 10 percent higher cell density while remaining...
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Kuo: New AirPods to Feature Cameras for Enhanced Spatial Experiences

Sunday June 30, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple will launch new AirPods featuring infrared cameras to improve spatial experiences with the Vision Pro headset, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a 態-new-ir-camera-equipped-airpods-to-enhance-2daa96913d7f">post on Medium, Kuo explained that Apple plans to mass-produce new AirPods with integrated IR camera modules by 2026. These IR cameras will apparently be similar to the iPho...
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Kuo: Apple Watch Series 10 to Get Larger Screen and Thinner Design

Monday June 17, 2024 1:20 am PDT by
This year's Apple Watch Series 10 will be thinner and come in larger screen sizes than previous models, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In his latest industry note -10-and-98075c44ce92">shared on Medium, Kuo said the screen size options on the next-generation Apple Watch will increase from 41mm to 45mm, and from 45mm to 49mm, while being encased in a thinner design. For reference,...