Kuo: Apple planning 11″ iPad Pro, Mac mini update, 1.57″ & 1.78″ Apple Watch, AirPower for fall

Zac Hall | Jul 11 2018 - 9:13 am PT

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities has published a new research note for investors that includes new details about what to expect with Apple’s fall hardware lineup. Adding to his previous reports about new iPhones, Kuo has shared new details and specifics about upcoming iPad Pro updates, Mac refreshes including the Mac mini, Apple Watch screen size expectations, and more.

Here’s a roundup of what Kuo predicts Apple will ship this fall:

Per previous reports, three new iPhones includes an updated 5.8″ OLED model and a new 6.5″ OLED model, plus a new 6.1″ LCD model
Updated iPad Pro models with Face ID and no Home button with an updated 12.9″ version and a seemingly new 11″ version
Several Mac updates including chip upgrades for the MacBook, MacBook Pro, an iMac with “significant display-performance upgrades”, and finally the Mac mini
A new low-price notebook that Kuo now believes may not be called MacBook Air
Apple Watch updates with larger displays as previously reported, Kuo now specifies 1.57″ and 1.78″ screens with enhanced heart rate detection
Mass production for both AirPower and updated AirPods

Kuo’s latest report summarizes his predictions with this neat graphic:

Kuo’s rumored 11-inch model sounds like a replacement for the current 10.5-inch iPad Pro. That would put the lineup at 7.9-inch, 9.7-inch, 11-inch, and 12.9-inch. Kuo also specifically says 11-inch and 12.9-inch, not 13-inch, which suggests he’s being specific and not rounding 10.5-inch up to 11-inch. This suggests the 12.9-inch iPad will have a smaller overall body versus making the hefty body feature a larger screen.

For the Apple Watch, it would not be surprising to see the display size increase without the overall body changing much — there’s a lot of bezel there to reduce today. Kuo says 1.57-inch and 1.78-inch specifically for the new models. I believe the current Apple Watch models measure 1.32-inch and 1.5-inch diagonally, so the smallest screen would be bigger than the current largest screen. Apple could possibly even keep the same 38mm and 42mm case height identifiers.

Per Bloomberg reporting earlier this year, the new AirPods Kuo references likely means adding ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation, and AirPower will certainly be due by the fall event after giving everyone a “sneak peek” before a release sometime in 2018 last September.

As with all predictions, Kuo notes that potential risks include product delays in shipping as well as lower than expected demand for new products … but the fall lineup certainly sounds like a massive update across the board for Apple customers.