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TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note to investors on Tuesday reported that demand for the tech giant’s main device lines was stronger than expected, including the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models. high-end.
According to a recent survey, demand for Apple’s top-tier iPhone 12 models, new iPad Air models, Apple Watch Series 6 and SE, and M1 MacBook is better than expected in the lucrative holiday season, Kuo said. The analyst references a number of previous predictions about future products, including the new MacBook Pro M1 variants and “AirPods 3.”
The analyst is following positive momentum for Apple’s significant iPhone business despite lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 12 and 12 mini, with increased interest in the higher-end iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max taking the relief. Those trends should continue into the first half of 2021 and into an anticipated refresh cycle next fall.
Apple’s iPad Air, which benefited from a major hardware redesign and upgrades in September, is also seeing impressive demand, Kuo said. The tablet lineup will continue to bear fruit in 2021 as Apple introduces new technologies like mini-LED and 5G connectivity, while an entry-level model is rumored to anchor the range in the second half of the year.
Customers are also clamoring for the Apple Watch Series 6 and SE, according to the note. Next year’s model will build on an already robust platform with updated health management features and an “enhanced” form factor.
Apple’s longstanding effort to deliver internal silicon to the Mac is paying off, and Kuo sees better-than-expected demand for M1 models like the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The analyst predicted in July that Apple would launch new Apple silicone MacBook models in the second half of 2021, including an all-new 14-inch MacBook Pro and a refurbished 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Despite the strong performance of Apple’s main product lines, AirPods show smoothness. Kuo predicts that shipments will hold steady for a 5-10% decline year-on-year in the first half of 2021. The analyst blames upstream supply restrictions and an overly anxious market that anticipated higher sales figures after that Apple announced plans to reject free EarPods.
In June, Kuo said a next-gen AirPods model would arrive in early 2021, but that timeline has been delayed until late in the second quarter.
