Kuo: AirPods Pro, Apple Watch Series 6, and iPod Touch Getting New Suppliers in 2020

Apple will be making several changes to the suppliers of its products in 2020, according to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

airpods pro opposite apple watch series 5
For starters, Kuo expects Chinese company Goertek to begin assembly of AirPods Pro in the first half of the year. The addition of a second supplier alongside Luxshare Precision should help improve supply of the popular earphones, which continue to face multi-week shipping estimates on Apple.com.

Luxshare itself will replace Quanta Computer as the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of S-series chips for the new Apple Watch in 2020, aka Series 6 models if Apple sticks with its naming trend, Kuo added.

And last, Kuo expects Chinese manufacturer BYD Electronic to replace Quanta Computer as the sole assembler of the iPod touch in 2020, as well as obtain at least 10-20 percent of non-cellular iPad orders. Naturally, if this goes well, the company is expected to receive an even larger percentage of orders in 2021 and beyond.

Kuo outlined these details in a research note with investment firm TF International Securities, seen by MacRumors.

Related Roundups: AirPods Pro, Apple Watch 10
Related Forums: AirPods, iPod touch and iPod

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
iOS 19 Rounded UI Elements Light

iOS 19: What to Expect From Apple's Dramatic Design Overhaul?

Monday March 24, 2025 9:47 am PDT by
Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple is planning "one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company's history" – an update that aims to bring iOS, iPadOS, and macOS into closer visual alignment. The redesign is said to be "loosely based" on visionOS, the software behind Apple's Vision Pro headset, and will reportedly update the look of icons, menus, apps, windows, and...

Top Rated Comments

EugW Avatar
68 months ago

Honest question: does anybody outside of Apple, the suppliers and perhaps Wall Street analysts care about which supplier Apple is using for a certain product or product component? I never understood why rumor sites considered these stories newsworthy.
Qualcomm vs Intel was a pretty important one people were concerned about. Also, Samsung vs TSMC.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bandaman Avatar
68 months ago

apple watch series 6 huh? Maybe I will wait for series 7 and ditch my series 2?
Why not hold off until the Series 8? It'll be even better.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
68 months ago
Quanta discontinuing their production for the Apple Watch was reportedly due to ‘profit concerns’ (See link below), which was initially reported back in October. There’s nothing wrong with having another supplier for the Apple Watch, hopefully it still meet/exceeds the quality of Quanta with Luxshare taking over.

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/10/16/quanta-may-stop-apple-watch-assembly-2020/amp/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
68 months ago

Instead of shifting away from China and diversifying, Apple doubles down on it. China has Apple by the balls and it’s getting more and more concerning. It’s time for Tim to go. The “supply chain genius” does not seem to consider the longterm consequences.
I’m sure Apple appreciates your concern, but they’ll be ok. Cook probably only has another two or three decades of tenure so when he decides to leave, they may indeed feel the loss of his supply chain expertise.

But someone else will probably be available to take over Jeff Williams’s spot and the supply chain experts reporting to him
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
68 months ago
It’s time for Tim to go. The “supply chain genius” does not seem to consider the longterm consequences.
But..Tim isn’t leaving, And I think you know that already, but I digress. But lets talk about what do we know v.s unrealistic projections. The success of the Watch is based on the future suppliers that Apple coordinated through Cooks supply relations. Say what you want, but don’t deny his expertise with what he has executed with logistics/coordination.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Skunk Avatar
68 months ago
I'm more curious to know where the updates to these products are:

1.) The iPad Pro
2.) The iPod Touch (they really need to make it the size of the iPhone Xs Max (or 11 or whatever)
3.) A true iPad Mini Pro (with the same curved edges and Pencil support as the Pro.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)