Apple AR hardware, AirTags, much more Apple Silicon coming in 2021, says Kuo

AppleInsider

Apple's releases for 2021 will include some often-rumored items, according to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, including the long-awaited "AirTags" and some form of AR-based device.

The Magic Leap One Lightwear AR goggles, an example of an AR headset

In TF Securities' latest note to investors, Apple-focused analyst Kuo speculates on the products Apple could launch in 2021. Among some highly plausible and fairly obvious selections, Kuo also makes some claims for previously-rumored products that have still yet to be launched.

Arguably the biggest item on the list is "AirTags," the object-tracking accessories that use Ultra Wideband and the Find My app to enable users to find practically anything they can attach the tracker to. While it has repeatedly been rumored about without surfacing, the note claims the tracker will finally launch sometime in 2021.

Along with "AirTags," it is proposed Apple could launch its first augmented reality device in the same year. While Kuo doesn't specify what actual device it would be, it is equally plausible that Apple could create an AR headset or AR smart glasses, tentatively titled "Apple Glass."

Previously, Kuo forecast Apple would ship AR glasses from 2022 at the earliest, making the new note a bullish suggestion.

As for other products on Apple's roster, the ongoing march of Apple Silicon will result in new Mac models arriving in the year, which could include a move to mini LED displays. This could include revamped 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

For iPads, It is said the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be the first in the range to switch over to mini LED, which again could take place in 2021.

Lastly, it is insisted that new models of AirPods are on the way, possibly in the form of the "AirPods Pro Lite." Taking over from the main AirPods, the model would be similar in design to the AirPods Pro, including the ability to use interchangeable ear tips for different sizes of ear.

As one of the best-known Apple analysts, Ming-Chi Kuo is also regarded as one of the most accurate, both for features and supply chain data. Despite the accuracy, Kuo has offered forecasts on the named product launches a few times, including claiming one year ago that AirTags would ship in the first half of that year, then later amending the prediction to summer 2020.

He has also offered suggestions the iPad Pro would be the first Mini LED display device in September.

wreighven

I laughed out loud when I saw the thumbnail...

KITA

AppleInsider said:

Along with "AirTags," it is proposed Apple could launch its first augmented reality device in the same year. While Kuo doesn't specify what actual device it would be, it is equally plausible that Apple could create an AR headset or AR smart glasses, tentatively titled "Apple Glass."

Previously, Kuo forecast Apple would ship AR glasses from 2022 at the earliest, making the new note a bullish suggestion.

Given that Microsoft is expected to launch HoloLens 3 with an infinite field of view in 2022/2023, it makes sense that Apple might (potentially) have something of a similar technical feat in that timeframe.

wood1208

14.1" and 16.1" Macbook pro with miniLED display is good move. Users with Macbook Air, $1000 affordability have no problem to wait for another year or so for miniLED display but in between, please do upgrade MBA to retina 14.1" display.

hexclock

Please, Apple, don’t call it Apple Glass. 

22july2013

hexclock said:

Please, Apple, don’t call it Apple Glass. 

Was "iPad" a good name? Do you cringe when saying "iPad"?

22july2013

Predictions made by experts like Kuo should immediately be rated against some sort of value scale. For example, a prediction that there will be an iMac coming out in 2021 which uses Apple Silicon should be given a low value, like 1 out of 10, because it's obvious and the date is imprecise. Here are some examples of hypothetical predictions with their value scores, based on how guessable, useful and novel the prediction is:

Apple will release a new iPhone in 2021; SCORE=1 (this is a low score because it's too easy to guess)
Apple will release a new iMac in the first week of July 2021; SCORE=10 (this is a high score because the date is far in the future and very specific)
Apple will release a new product called AirTags in 2Q21: SCORE=5 (this is a medium score because it's fairly predictable but maybe not)
Apple will release a new iPhone with [insert specs here] "tomorrow": SCORE=1 (this is a low score because it's only predicting one day in advance, so it's not a helpful prediction)
Apple will release an "iCar" in the next five years. SCORE=1 (vague date, vague information, name is too obvious)
Apple will release a car called "Apple Rhythm" in this decade: SCORE=6 (very specific information, even though the date is vague)

When someone makes a prediction that turns out to be true, they should accumulate (or lose) the score points for their respective production. So a person could lose anywhere from 1 to 10 points if they are wrong. The value of a passed prediction should drop by 25% every year, because there's no point in punishing or rewarding a pundit for predictions that are five years old.

The good thing about this is that it can be done retroactively. We can take predictions from Kuo over his lifetime, assign scores to each one, then see what his total is over the years. Here's my attempt to do that retroactively for Kuo over the last year. The numbers are my subjective valuations of each prediction's worth. His total score is 50, despite making five errors. I wonder how that would compare to others.

mattinoz

So no real predictions as yet as to what way Apple Silicon will go next! 

We know it needs to expand to the full line at most of that will happen this year. I’d guess everything but the Mac Pro this year as it’s the least controlled machine Apple make and needs the most features on package. 

So what do we see next from the new family of chips?

There are lots of interesting questions/options on where they go from the M1 to expand. With the talk I’d assume it will be a GPU chip that is closely packaged with the M1 to unify memory. If it adds more bandwidth for double the thunderbolt ports that could get them the larger MacBooks and base level iMacs 

svanstrom

mattinoz said:

So no real predictions as yet as to what way Apple Silicon will go next! 

It's Kuo; so just expect reiterations of what everyone has already assumed will happen, but with a date that's being pushed all the up until the product actually is launched (or where some mysterious unknown problem is making it "delayed" or "cancelled").

OctoMonkey

Dire Straits said it best:
I want my AppleTV.