KGI Securities

Apple is unlikely to expand its front-facing TrueDepth system for Face ID and Animoji to the rear-facing camera module on iPhones released in 2018, according to oft-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the iPhone X's 3D sensing capabilities are already at least one year ahead of Android smartphones. For that reason, he...

While the iPhone X has reportedly faced production issues related to the TrueDepth camera, resulting in shipment delays, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply of components for the facial recognition system is now stable. In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo added that Apple won't "repeat the mistake" of delayed production with next year's iPhone models,...

For months, many Wall Street analysts have predicted the iPhone X will drive a significant number of existing iPhone users to upgrade. The latest word from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, suggests the so-called "supercycle" won't truly gain momentum until 2018 due to multiple factors. Namely, Kuo said the TrueDepth camera system's reported production issues will be...

Following a report claiming Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, a new report suggests the TrueDepth camera is the primary bottleneck. The word comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the facial recognition system is "far more complex" than those on competing devices, which is making ...

While the iPhone X launches November 3, with pre-orders beginning October 27, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple's high-end smartphone won't achieve complete supply-demand equilibrium until next year. In his latest research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said customer demand for the iPhone X won't be fully met until at least the first half of 2018 due to...

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a research note to investors today in which he said Apple's current iPhone X production totals less than just 10,000 units per day. For this reason, Kuo anticipates the iPhone X will remain in "severe short supply for a while" following its expected launch later this month. Kuo also anticipates that the so-called "Blush Gold" colored iPhone X will...

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a new prediction about how Apple will design the front of the "iPhone X." Kuo believes that no matter the color of the device's casing, the front bezels will be black. This will ensure "better aesthetic design," hiding the front-facing camera sensors on the iPhone X's notch, which would otherwise stand out as little black dots on a white bezel. This...

The third-generation Apple Watch, set to launch this fall with LTE support for the first time, is unlikely to support phone calls, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors in a note shared this morning. According to Kuo, while a voice service that replaces the iPhone's calling functionality is "feasible," he believes Apple must first work on improving the "user experience of data...

Amid reports Apple is investing billions of dollars to help LG begin production of OLED displays for future iPhones, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report sharing his take on the situation. According to Kuo, the OLED display panel for this year's "iPhone 8" has been the "single most troublesome component for Apple in terms of bargaining power," as Samsung is currently...

Prominent KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a "2017 WWDC highlights" report, outlining his expectations for next month's keynote event. While he expects the typical previews of the next versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, he also predicts we will see several hardware-related announcements. One major debut Kuo expects to see is the long-rumored 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which...

Apple's widely rumored Siri-based smart speaker and home hub has an "over 50 percent chance" of being announced at WWDC, scheduled for June 5-9, according to often-reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities. The device is rumored to have a "Mac Pro-like" concave design (Image: iFunnyVlogger) Kuo said Apple's smart home product will likely launch in the second half of 2017 and cost...

All three iPhones rumored to be launched in 2017 will retain Lightning connectors with the addition of USB-C Power Delivery for faster charging, including an all-new OLED model with a larger L-shaped battery and updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. An excerpt from his latest research note obtained by MacRumors:New 2H17 models may all support ...

The rumored "iPhone 8" with an edge-to-edge OLED display will gain a "revolutionary" front-facing camera system that consists of three modules that enable fully-featured 3D sensing capabilities, according to new predictions shared by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The upgraded camera system will be fueled by PrimeSense algorithms, which Apple acquired in 2013. The three modules include ...

The so-called "iPhone 8" will adopt a higher-cost stacked logic board design to support longer battery life, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said the stacked logic board, also known as a "substrate-like PCB mainboard," will result in the "iPhone 8" with an OLED display having similar dimensions to a 4.7-inch iPhone, yet comparable battery life to a 5.5-inch iPhone. He...

Apple is widely rumored to launch three new iPhones this year, and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now claims that all of them will feature wireless charging. iPhone 8 concept by UI/UX designer Moe Slah Kuo said wireless charging increases the internal temperature of smartphones, so he expects the rumored iPhone 8 with an OLED display and glass casing to have a new 3D Touch module with...

Noted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a research report today in which he outlined further expectations for Apple's 2017 iPhone, including new biometric identification technology as well as the necessity of a new design to provide better structural support for a flexible OLED display with 3D Touch capability. Apple may switch to a film sensor from the current FPCB sensor in order to ...

Apple will release updated Mac notebooks with Intel's next-generation Kaby Lake processors later this year, according to the latest research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said new 12-inch MacBook models with Kaby Lake processors will enter mass production in the early second quarter, which starts in March, and noted a 16GB of RAM option could be added—presumably as a...

Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report underlining his expectations for the future of Apple's iPad line-up, with slightly revised predictions for a new "high-end" middle-size tablet to be released later this year. According to Kuo, Apple is planning to introduce three iPads in 2017: a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 and a "low-cost" 9.7-inch iPad, along with a new bezel-free,...

Apple's next-generation 4.7-inch iPhone will feature glass casing with wireless charging, according to the latest research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by MacRumors.Our rationale is as follows: (1) the OLED model may trigger replacement demand among high-end users given its completely all-new-design form factor and notably superior specs in comparison to the TFT-LCD...

Apple will switch to an all-glass casing for next year's entire iPhone lineup in order to support wireless charging, with Pegatron being the exclusive supplier of the wireless charger. That's according to the latest research note by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by MacRumors. According to Kuo, the transition from metal to glass casing is key if Apple is to introduce a wireless...