Could These Be The Products That Apple Will Be Releasing In 2019?
NEWS: 02.20.19- Apple, Inc. is widely expected to be releasing a number of new products in the pipeline this year but just what exactly will those items be and who is the source of all of that information?
The MacRumors website reported on Monday the news which came from a copy it obtained of a detailed research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, an individual who is popular among the Apple news rumor circuit for his annual forecast based on — according to MacRumors — intelligence gathered from contacts in Apple’s Asian supply chain which he, in turn, translates into predictions of upcoming Apple products that are presented to his clientele.
“Kuo is well regarded in the rumor community due to a very good track record at predicting Apple’s products,” wrote the MacRumors staff in the article.
According to a separate biography written on MacRumors, Kuo works for TF International Securities, a financial services group in the Asia Pacific region, and previously worked for KGI Securities, Concord Securities, as well as the DigiTimes website.
“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,” wrote the MacRumors staff in the biography.
Almost every type of product imaginable is touched upon in the research note and the predictions for 2019 by Kuo are as follows:
- 16 to 16.5-inch MacBook Pro with an all new design
- 13-inch MacBook Pro to gain 32GB of RAM as an option
- 31.6-inch 6K display with Mini LED-like backlight design
- iPod touch seventh generation with faster processor
- iPad Pro: two new models
- 10.2-inch iPad (to replace 9.7-inch low cost model)
- iPad mini 5
- iPhone 2019 lineup: 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED and 6.1-inch LCD models featuring frosted glass casing, larger batteries, and the ability to wirelessly charge other devices along with triple camera lenses (wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto)
- Apple Watch Series 5 to feature ceramic casing and ECG support for more countries
- AirPods 2 wireless earbuds
- AirPower wireless charging mat
Most notable from the list is the mention of purported forthcoming updates to the iPad mini and iPod touch which have remained stagnant with nary an update to the line since 2015 when both the iPad mini 4 and the sixth generation iPod touch were released.
In addition, the 16 to 16.5-inch screen on the purported new MacBook Pro would be the largest display offered by Apple since it discontinued the 17-inch line back in 2012.
Furthermore, on the topic of screens, the purported new 31.6-inch 6K Mini-LED backlit display would mark the return of Apple to the monitor front after it left the market in 2016 with the discontinuation of its 27-inch Thunderbolt display.
This new 31.6-inch 6K display presumably would be designed for use with the yet to be announced redesign of the Mac Pro — which was last updated in 2013 — that was previously divulged by Apple senior Vice President of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, back in 2017.
“We are completely rethinking the Mac Pro. And it won’t just be the computer. Since the Mac Pro is a modular system, we are also doing a pro display,” said Schiller.
Of note is that Kuo made no mention of the Mac Pro in his outlook for Apple’s roadmap for 2019..
Also absent is the confirmation of any information regarding the fabled iPhone SE 2 which has run the rumor gamut for quite some time now.
Whether these predictions by Kuo of upcoming Apple products ring true remains to be seen and only time will tell if any of it springs forth from the Cupertino, California-based tech giant this calendar year.
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