Ming-Chi Kuo

One of the most reliable Apple analysts doesn’t see “many attractive selling points for iPhone 7”

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has arguably the strongest track record among his peers when it comes to anticipating unreleased Apple products. That being said, his most recent research note that he issued to clients last evening is something of a surprise to ardent Apple watchers.

In it, the revered analyst pours cold water on various iPhone 7 expectations, stating he doesn’t see “many attractive selling points” for the upcoming handset. A copy of Kuo's note to clients was obtained by AppleInsider.

As a matter of fact, Kuo believes Apple will be the only top-five smartphone vendor to see its shipments decline this year before they rebound in 2018, in time for a rumored monster iPhone 8 refresh.

KGI: major iPhone redesign due in 2017 with all-glass enclosure, AMOLED Retina screen and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 18, 2016

An iPhone 7, which we expect will launch this fall, won't differ much from the existing iPhone 6/6s design style because Apple is saving a major visual refresh of its smartphone for 2017, according to a research note Sunday by well-informed KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The note, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, quotes the analyst as saying that a 2107 iPhone refresh will bring not only the rumored jump to the superior AMOLED display technology but a whole new design language for the iconic smartphone that will ditch the all-metal appearance in favor of an all-glass enclosure.

KGI analyst predicts 25 percent lower Apple Watch shipments this year

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 11, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is one of the most reliable Apple analyst out there, estimated in a note sent to clients Monday that shipments of the Apple Watch will decline 25 percent in the calendar 2016, despite the expected introduction of a second-generation model some time later this year.

According to the note, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, Apple will sell a total of 7.5 million Apple Watch units this year versus an estimated 10.6 million Apple Watch sales in 2015.

KGI: dual cameras to be exclusive to 5.5″ iPhone 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 4, 2016

Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 will feature dual cameras for improved photography features, but only on the flagship 5.5-inch model, according to an investment note by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider this morning.

The analyst, who has a strong track record in predicting Apple's future product plans, thinks that iPhone shipments will fall below 200 million units this year due to a soft iPhone SE launch and weakening demand for the current flagship iPhone model, the iPhone 6s.

KGI: 5.8″ AMOLED iPhone with iPhone 4-like curved glass design due in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 28, 2016

Last month, supply chain sources claimed Apple was working to launch a 5.8-inch iPhone featuring rigid AMOLED display panels some time in 2017.

And now, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said pretty much the same thing in his most recent analysis issued to clients yesterday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.

The device should have a curved glass casing similar to the design of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s and a “completely new form factor design” with narrow bezels providing a “more comfortably grip.”

KGI: iPhone SE will have 12MP iSight camera, iPhone 5s to go half price

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 27, 2016

Apple's upcoming four-inch 'iPhone SE' will cost between $300 and $400 in the United States, it will have a twelve-megapixel camera on the back rather than an eight-megapixel shooter, as previously rumored, and is entering mass production soon. Moreover, the existing iPhone 5s is slated to be discounted by fifty percent.

That's the gist of a note KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo sent to clients, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.

KGI: iPhone 7 Plus will have dual lenses with optical image stabilization and zoom

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 27, 2016

Reliable analyst (if there is such a thing) Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities sent an interesting report to clients, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.

In it, he predicts that a new, premium edition of Apple's iPhone 7 Plus will be outfitted with a dual-lens system with optical image stabilization and optical zoom, realized through technology Apple obtained from last year's acquisition of Israeli camera technology company LinX Imaging.

KGI: 3D Touch-less iPad Air 3 due in H1 2016

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 15, 2015

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared some interesting predictions for 2016 iPhones and iPads in a note sent to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors.

For starters, Kuo is adamant that the third-generation iPad Air will be arriving in the first half of next year. The tablet won't be outfitted with a pressure-sensing screen due to alleged production issues related to building a 9.7-inch 3D Touch sensor array.

KGI: mid-range iPhone 6c with Apple Pay, fast A9 chip and three color options due in early-2016

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

According to a research note that KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo sent to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, Apple's rumored four-inch iPhone refresh will be released in early-2016, possibly in time for the spring.

It will feature an iPhone 5s-like exterior design with an iPhone 6s-like display that's curved at the edges.

The device apparently sports a colorful metal chassis, runs the A9 system-on-a-chip manufactured by both TSMC and Samsung (which also powers the latest iPhone 6s series) and includes NFC to support Apple Pay transactions.

KGI: Apple won’t be switching to AMOLED screens for iPhones anytime soon

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 10, 2015

Talk of an iPhone equipped with a power-efficient AMOLED screen technology has persisted for years. Yet, Apple continues to build iPhones with LCD screens that use a premium display technology, called IPS (In-Plane Switching), for wide viewing angles and improved image quality.

4-inch iPhone refresh rumored to include A9 chip, iPhone 5s-style looks, Touch ID but no 3D Touch

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 4, 2015

In addition to calling for an iPhone 7 with three gigabytes of RAM, the mostly reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in a note issued to clients Tuesday evening, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, that the company is working on a major refresh for its four-inch iPhone.

“Resembling an upgraded iPhone 5s,” Kuo says the refreshed device will run Apple's A9 processor that powers the iPhone 6s and be released in the first half of next year, which would mark the first time an iPhone launched outside of its autumn (in the past: summer) schedule.

KGI predicts A10 chip with 3GB of RAM in iPhone 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 2, 2017

The next year's iPhone, let's call it an 'iPhone 7,' is expected to be outfitted with three gigabytes of RAM, according to the revered analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities. If true, the iPhone 7 will pack in fifty percent more RAM than this year's iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus that sport 2GB of RAM.

According to Kuo' note issue to clients Wednesday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, this will help the new phone multitask even better than the current iPhone 6s, which has doubled the amount of RAM relative to last year's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.