Ming-Chi Kuo: Rumors From A Reliable Apple Analyst - MacRumors

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Ming-Chi KuoBy MacRumors Staff on December 18, 2025Ming-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

Kuo: iPhone Fold Production Challenges Could Limit Supply Next Year

Thursday December 18, 2025 5:12 am PST by Tim HardwickApple's highly anticipated foldable iPhone could face supply shortages into 2027 despite a planned launch next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said in a new research note: "Development of the foldable iPhone is behind earlier expectations, but the product is still expected to [sic] announce in 2H26. Due to early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges, smooth shipments may not occur ...Read Full Article 94 comments

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by Joe RossignolWhile all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...Read Full Article 170 comments

Apple's iPhone Air Experiment Fails as Supply Chain Cuts Production by 80%

Wednesday October 22, 2025 10:48 am PDT by Juli CloveriPhone Air demand failed to meet Apple's expectations and the company's supply chain is scaling back shipments and production, reports Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Suppliers are expected to reduce capacity by more than 80 percent between now and the first quarter of 2026, and some components with longer lead times will be discontinued ...Read Full Article 678 comments

Apple's Foldable iPhone Could Be Cheaper Than Expected

Monday October 13, 2025 4:44 am PDT by Hartley CharltonApple's long-rumored foldable iPhone may cost less to manufacture than previously expected thanks to major reductions in hinge component pricing, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a new report, Kuo said that the hinge designed for Apple's foldable ‌iPhone‌ is expected to carry an average selling price (ASP) of approximately $70 to $80 when mass production begins, well below the market...Read Full Article 93 comments

$599 MacBook With iPhone Chip Expected to Enter Production This Year

Wednesday September 17, 2025 7:59 am PDT by Joe RossignolApple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today reiterated that a more affordable MacBook powered by an iPhone processor is slated to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, which points towards a late 2025 or early 2026 launch. Below, we recap the rumors about the lower-priced MacBook so far. Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook....Read Full Article 109 comments

Kuo: OLED MacBook Pro to Feature Touch Screen Display

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:51 am PDT by Tim HardwickApple's first OLED MacBook Pro, set to enter mass production next year, will feature a touch screen display, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In his latest post on X (Twitter), Kuo writes that Apple's much-rumored OLED MacBook Pro will incorporate a touch panel using on-cell touch technology. On-cell touch technology integrates the touch sensors directly into the display panel's top...Read Full Article 166 comments

Kuo: High Demand for iPhone 17 Models, But Questions Remain About iPhone Air

Monday September 15, 2025 3:50 am PDT by Hartley CharltonApple's new iPhone 17 models are proving to be more popular than their predecessors over the first pre-order weekend, both in terms of production and delivery times, but major questions remain about the success of the iPhone Air, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a new post on X, Kuo said that preorder demand for the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup has outpaced last year's iPhone 16 models. ‌iPh...Read Full Article 176 comments

iPhone 18 Rumor Becomes iPhone 19 Rumor Two Days Before iPhone 17

Sunday September 7, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by Joe RossignolIn July 2024, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected Samsung to begin shipping 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera sensors to Apple for iPhones as early as 2026, which is when some iPhone 18 models are expected to be released. In a follow-up post this weekend, however, Kuo said he now expects the first iPhone models with Samsung's sensor to be released in 2027. In other words,...Read Full Article 50 comments

Kuo: AirPods Pro 3 Coming Soon, But Bigger Upgrade Arriving Next Year

Sunday September 7, 2025 10:52 am PDT by Joe RossignolApple plans to release AirPods Pro 3 this year, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. All signs point towards Apple unveiling the AirPods Pro 3 during its iPhone 17 event on Tuesday, September 9. However, Kuo did not provide a specific timeframe beyond the second half of 2025, which lines up with previous rumors. Kuo did not mention any new features that are planned for the...Read Full Article 62 comments

Foldable iPhone Under-Screen Touch ID Rumor Dismissed by Analyst

Monday September 1, 2025 3:49 am PDT by Tim HardwickApple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is standing by his prediction that Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature Touch ID integrated into the side button rather than an under-display fingerprint sensor. In a post on X (Twitter) today, Kuo referenced his March forecast for the rumored 2026 device: "Six months ago, I predicted the foldable iPhone would use side-button Touch ID." Kuo goes on: "There...Read Full Article 93 comments

A20 Chips in iPhone 18 Models Again Rumored to Feature New Design

Tuesday August 12, 2025 9:08 am PDT by Joe RossignolApple's A20 chip in the iPhone 18 will be packaged with TSMC's Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) technology, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This change has been rumored by multiple other sources previously. Apple would be moving away from TSMC's InFO (Integrated Fan-Out) packaging it uses currently. It is unclear if this change will be limited to higher-end...Read Full Article 20 comments

MacBook Pro Models With M5 Chips Might Not Launch Until Next Year

Tuesday August 12, 2025 8:21 am PDT by Joe RossignolIn a research note today, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that MacBook Pro models with M5 chips might not launch until 2026. Kuo discussed how the A20 chips in iPhone 18 models will be packaged with WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) technology, which integrates the so-called "underfill and molding processes" for more efficient manufacturing and increased yield, a term...Read Full Article 37 comments

Foldable iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Both Expected to Have 'Crease-Free' Screen

Thursday July 17, 2025 9:17 am PDT by Joe RossignolIt looks like Apple's foldable iPhone will have some "crease-free" competition. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Samsung's next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 8 will use the same laser-drilled metal display plate as the foldable iPhone, with the component to be supplied by South Korean company Fine M-Tec. Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 7 still has a visible crease in the middle...Read Full Article 91 comments

Foldable iPhone Said to Feature 'Crease-Free' Display — Here's How

Tuesday July 15, 2025 7:00 am PDT by Joe RossignolSamsung Display will supply Apple with "crease-free" displays for its long-rumored foldable iPhone, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. To achieve a crease-free inner display, Kuo said the foldable iPhone will utilize a metal plate that can disperse and control the stress generated by bending the display. The metal plates will be primarily supplied by a company named Fine...Read Full Article 143 comments

Report Reveals Apple's Secretive Vision Products Roadmap

Monday June 30, 2025 4:04 am PDT by Hartley CharltonApple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared a detailed roadmap of the company's Vision and smart glasses plans until the end of the decade. Apple apparently has at least seven projects in development, including three "Vision" devices and four smart glasses products. Kuo says that five of these products have "confirmed" development timelines, while two remain to be confirmed. Here's what to expect: ...Read Full Article 75 comments

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by Hartley CharltonApple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an ‌iPhone‌ chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last...Read Full Article 239 comments

Could Apple Ditch Siri Name in Major AI Rebrand at WWDC?

Monday June 9, 2025 3:12 am PDT by Tim HardwickApple will highlight its AI strategy at Monday's WWDC 2025 keynote, with its much-talked-about "Liquid Glass" software redesign playing a secondary role in announcements, claims industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Reports leading up to WWDC have indicated that iOS 26 will feature a major design overhaul inspired by visionOS, the operating system for Apple's Vision Pro headset. The redesign has...Read Full Article 64 comments

Kuo: Apple Better Off Taking 25% Tariff Hit Than Move iPhone Production to US

Friday May 23, 2025 9:06 am PDT by Hartley CharltonIt would be more financially viable for Apple to absorb a 25% import tariff on iPhones sold in the United States than to relocate its assembly operations to the U.S., Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Kuo, a respected analyst with a long track record of accurate forecasts about Apple's supply chain, made the statement on X (formerly Twitter) in response to renewed pressure from former...Read Full Article 355 comments

Kuo: Jony Ive's Futuristic OpenAI Device Like a Neck-Worn iPod Shuffle

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:05 am PDT by Joe RossignolThe big news in the technology world this week is that ChatGPT maker OpenAI is working more closely with Apple's former design chief Jony Ive on a futuristic AI device. The company is remaining tight lipped about the device, but Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some alleged details about its design. In a social media post today, Kuo said the device will be "slightly larger" ...Read Full Article 197 comments

AirPods Pro 3 Unlikely to Feature Built-In Cameras

Thursday May 22, 2025 3:58 am PDT by Tim HardwickMing-Chi Kuo dropped a bit of a bombshell this week by suggesting that AirPods won't see major updates until 2026 when infrared camera-equipped models enter production. But before you panic about waiting two more years for new earbuds, there's reason for optimism. Kuo's timeline likely refers to regular AirPods, not the AirPods Pro line. Well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has...Read Full Article Next Page Newer PostsArchivesOlder Posts Previous Page

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