Analyst

iPhone 8 said to use fixed flex 5.8″ screen with embedded sensors

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 18, 2017

Apple's next iPhone is expected to adopt a 5.8-inch wraparound AMOLED display that utilizes a fixed flex screen like Samsung's ill-fated Galaxy Note 7.

That's according to a note Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri issued to investors on Wednesday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider. Arcuri refers to the so-called tenth anniversary iPhone as “iPhone X”.

The analyst claims the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s and 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus models may switch from LCDs to AMOLEDs, too, if Samsung Display is able to supply enough panels to Apple.

Analyst: Apple poised for a “decade-long malaise” as it “lacks the courage to lead innovation”

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 2, 2016

Apple's reliance on the iPhone is well documented, but that didn't stop analysts at Oppenheimer from issuing an unusually scathing investor memo describing “strategic issues” at the Cupertino firm.

In the note, a copy of which was obtained by Business Insider, analyst Andrew Uerkwitz and his team charge Apple for being too reliant on the iPhone and headed in the wrong direction, saying the company “lacks the courage to lead the next generation of innovation”.

KGI predicts massive iPhone 8 upgrade cycle, 4.7″ model to feature wireless charging

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 29, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a note to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, predicting record 150 million iPhone sales in the second half of 2017. A 4.7-inch iPhone 8 with an LCD screen and glass casing should feature wireless charging, he wrote.

“Unprecedented replacement demand” will, of course, be led by a rumored high-end iPhone 8 model with brand new industrial design, power-saving OLED display technology and other “notably superior specifications” from the “less exciting” 4.7 and 5.5-inch LCD iPhones.

Apple could slash prices of next year’s 4.7″ and 5.5″ iPhones with legacy LCD technology

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 23, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is on a roll this morning with a litany of reports pertaining to Apple's next-generation 2017 iPhone refresh. According to another note issued to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, Kuo says he expects the Cupertino firm to slash prices of both 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone models next year.

That's because those iPhones are expected to continue using legacy LCD technology. By lowering prices for those models, Apple might potentially regain some of the market share lost to more affordable Android handsets.

Dual-lens 2017 iPhone models to feature dual optical image stabilization

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 21, 2016

Apple's single-lens iPhone 7 and dual-lens iPhone 7 Plus both support the optical image stabilization (OIS) feature for taking sharper images and capturing stabilized videos. Next year's dual-lens iPhone models, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, will support OIS on both the the wide-angle lens and the telephoto lens. The iPhone 7 Plus supports auto focus on both cameras on the back, but only the wide-angle lens is outfitted with OIS.

KGI: OLED iPhone to boast 5.1″ or 5.2″ active display area

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 21, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new report this morning. In his note to clients, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, the revered analyst predicts that a brand new premium iPhone model will be joining the lineup next year alongside 4.7 and 5.5-inch models.

This brand new device should boast an all-new industrial design with a glass casing instead of metal and use OLED display technology, as reported before. According to the note, the active display area will be somewhere in between the current 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus, or about 5.2-inches diagonally.

KGI details three new iPhones coming in 2017, including 5.5″ OLED model with dual cameras

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 15, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new report to clients Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, that lays out his predictions for Apple's 2017 iPhone refresh. The analyst is calling for a trio of new iPhones next fall, two of which should be upgraded versions of the current models with classic TFT-LCD screens.

As for a third model, it will boast all-new industrial design and utilize power-sipping organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology, according to the analyst's note.

KGI (again) predicts iPhone demand has peaked for the year due to lackluster improvements

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 14, 2016

Shortly following the iPhone 7 launch in September 2016, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted fewer iPhone 7 sales than the iPhone 6s garnered in 2015. In a new note issued to clients today, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, the analyst reiterated his belief that iPhone demand has peaked for the year due to a lack of significant improvements.

He is now forecasting a drop in unit shipments in November and December from five to fifteen percent based on supply checks and greater iPhone 7 stock availability.

KGI: no iPhone SE refresh in Spring 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 5, 2016

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is predicting iPhone sales will drop in the first quarter of 2017 because he is not expecting a refreshed iPhone SE model that could perhaps reinvigorate demand during the slow post-holiday quarter.

Kuo's note to investors Friday says Apple's been putting pressure on component makers to reduce prices in order to protect its high gross margins that are the envy of the industry.

KGI: new MacBook Pros coming in 2017 with price cuts, 32GB RAM option

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2016

KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo says he expects 2017 to be a solid year for Apple's MacBook Pro line. The reliable Apple analyst issued a note to investors on Monday, saying that he believes Apple will introduce price cuts for the MacBook Pro, as well as internal upgrades with support for up to 32GB of RAM.

The note comes less than a week after Apple introduced its all-new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and Touch ID at a media event in Cupertino. The laptop has been met with a fair amount of criticism over its high price tag—the 13-inch model is up $500 over its predecessor—and lower-than-expected specs.

KGI: new MacBook Pros and 13″ MacBook next week, iMacs & 5K Cinema Display in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 22, 2016

According to revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, Apple's media event next Thursday will serve as a launchpad for a long-awaited update to the aging MacBook Pro notebook lineup, which will see “many” noteworthy upgrades.

Apple will also announce a brand new model of the new MacBook with a screen measuring thirteen inches diagonally, Kuo wrote in a note to clients.

Some observers think this machine is actually a thirteen-inch MacBook Air with new USB-C ports. As you know, the current Retina MacBook has a 12-inch Retina display.

Next-generation iMacs, as well as a rumored 5K resolution display won't be unveiled at the event because they're apparently not ready yet.

KGI: Apple could add 5-7 million iPhone sales due to Note 7 discontinuation

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 17, 2016

Global Note 7 recall and discontinuation could prove to be a blessing to Apple, helping the Cupertino firm boost iPhone sales by five to seven million units, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a note to clients this morning, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, the analyst speculates that Apple and Chinese Android manufacturer Huawei could be the primary beneficiaries of the Note 7 discontinuation, with Apple potentially seeing an influx of orders for the iPhone 7 Plus due to its dual-camera system.