Tech

Apple prophet Ming-Chi Kuo says new 4.7-inch iPhone, MacBooks, and mini wireless charging mat are coming

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TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has dropped a new investor's note (via MacRumors) and it includes a list of many goodies Apple plans to release this year.

On deck for the first half of 2020: a 4.7-inch iPhone with an LCD screen and Touch ID. This could be the rumored "iPhone SE 2" that's expected to come with an A13 chip, 3GB of RAM, and maybe launch sometime in March.

The iPad Pro was last refreshed in 2018 and is long due for an update. Dummy models leaked last year suggest Apple could equip both an 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro update with the iPhone 11 Pro's triple-cameras.

Kuo says revamps are coming for the 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Well, yeah. New processors would be a no-brainer, but more exciting is if Apple replaces the butterfly keyboards with the 16-inch MacBook Pro's scissor-style keyboard.

On the accessories front, Kuo's expecting a "small wireless charging mat." I'm not sure what that means exactly, but it's unlikely to work like the canceled AirPower, which would have let users wirelessly charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods by placing it anywhere on the mat.

A smaller wireless charging mat would likely have fewer coils (overheating was reportedly what killed AirPower). Maybe Apple just rips off Mophie's 3-in-1 wireless charging pad or Nomad's Nomad's Base Station; I've tried both and can vouch they're excellent AirPower alternatives.

Other accessories in the pipe according to Kuo: ultra wideband "AirTags" and "high-end Bluetooth headphones." It's been rumored Apple plans to sherlock Tile by releasing its own item-trackers that make use of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro's built-in U1 Ultra Wideband chip and augmented reality.

There's been little chatter about the "high-end Bluetooth headphones." iOS 13.3.1 released yesterday includes a glyph for an unreleased Beats Powerbeats 4 wireless earbuds. Will Apple make its own non-Beats-branded over/on-ear headphones using the AirPod Pro's sublime noise-cancellation technology? Feels like a very Apple-like move given its love for making high-quality audio products like HomePod (even though it continues to be a sales flop).

Start saving now — If you're already deep into Apple's ecosystem of hardware and services, these upcoming products (especially the AirTags and wireless charging mat) are going to keep you in Apple's waters. And we all know new Apple devices are never cheap. So you might want to stop spending so much on sneakers or clothing or whatever it is you're indulging yourself in now so that you have cash reserves for Apple's new toys.