Kuo: iPad Pro With Rear 3D ToF Camera and Scissor Mechanism MacBooks to Launch in First Half of 2020

[turbineseaplane]

Why release the 16 inch MBP this month if they're going to refresh the whole MacBook lineup six months later?

Simple - Start with the highest priced new "hotness" that has the new keyboard everyone wants and capture lots of super high margin sales early on, before those people get a chance to see the lower priced options later on that would also net them the better keyboards.

 

[barkomatic]

It never made any sense for Apple to refresh the iPad Pro lineup in 2019, it’s not even a year old yet. Previous updates have been about 16 months apart, so March would be a good guess, as would A13X and the same $799/999 pricing for 11.0”/12.9”. Maybe 128GB base model.

The only rationale I could think of for Apple to refresh the iPad Pro's this month would be to get ahead of the tariffs that go into effect after the holidays but Kuo is a very reputable source so it looks like that's not happening.

 

[alexandero]

Simple - Start with the highest priced new "hotness" that has the new keyboard everyone wants and capture lots of super high margin sales early on, before those people get a chance to see the lower priced options later on that would also net them the better keyboards.

Unfortunately you might be right. But only if Apple is convinced enough that the keyboard replacement program extended until Q2/2020 costs them less than the additional margin of initially only selling the MBP 16".

 

[Billyk711]

Apple will launch a new iPad Pro with a rear-facing 3D Time of Flight camera in the first quarter of 2020, according to a new report out today from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and seen by MacRumors.

We've previously heard multiple rumors suggesting a time-of-flight camera system for Apple's 2020 iPhones and iPad Pros, including info from Kuo himself, but this is the first time that he's specified the 3D sensing camera system will be available in new iPad Pro models to be released early next year.

A time-of-flight camera system measures the time that it takes for a laser or LED to bounce off of objects in a room, providing an accurate 3D map of the surroundings. A rear time-of-flight camera would also bolster photo quality and offer new and improved AR applications.

Two of the iPhones set to be released in 2020 will also feature 3D sensing rear camera setups with time-of-flight (ToF) camera lenses, according to a previous note from Kuo in July.

The Apple analyst has also revealed his predicted schedule for Apple's MacBook lineup refresh. We've already learned that Apple is planning to use a scissor mechanism rather than a butterfly mechanism for its upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is expected to be announced as soon as this month.

However, Kuo has said that after the 16-inch MacBook Pro launches, future Macs coming in 2020 will also swap over to a scissor mechanism rather than a butterfly mechanism, resulting in more durable keyboards that are not as prone to failure from heat, dust and other small particulates.

Kuo now predicts that Apple's refreshed MacBook models will arrive in the second quarter of 2020, suggesting they will feature the much-anticipated scissor mechanism keyboards that the company is adopting wholesale.

Kuo also underlined his belief that the first quarter of 2020 will see Apple launch its previously rumored "iPhone SE 2," which was mentioned in a previous research note earlier in the week.

Today's report from the respected Apple analyst also covered Apple's AR headset launch plans, which we've covered in a separate article.

Article Link: Kuo: iPad Pro With Rear 3D ToF Camera and Scissor Mechanism MacBooks to Launch in First Half of 2020

This guys is always wrong but no one calls him out on it,
You tubers are
More accurate
Than this guy

 

[m4mario]

Disappointed. I was hoping it would come out in October.

 

[Jarman74]

If you've never had a good keyboard, you won't know. Just like good headphones, a great keyboard is a joy to use and a source of immediate pleasure. It's not something you have to "get used to." I remember, the 2015 MBP keyboard was so good that when I first used it, it was actually distracting. When I'd start typing something on it, all of a sudden I'd stop and notice how amazing the keyboard felt. A keyboard I actually *want* to use - *prefer* to use. If you've never tried one, the closest feel I've found is Apple's external keyboard, the A1243 wired. It's not quite as good, and it's lounder, but it's an amazing feel. When I have to use a butterfly Mac I use that with it. More recent Apple external keyboards have lost that feel - they're just "meh".

I hear you. Although I have never used the 2015 MBP keyboard, I still own a late 2013 model and I really miss its keyboard when I happen to use other laptops. I also own two Apple wired external keyboards - the 10 year old one I'm typing on now and another one still in its original box that I bought "just in case" a couple of years ago. Never could I have imagined that Apple would have replaced it with an inferior product.

 

[applesed]

A lot of smoke around October; I’d be surprised if not

 

[iAdamator]

Man I hate all this uncertainty with potential iPad Pros coming out. I have been holding out for an October event but it seems less and less likely an iPad Pro refresh is going to happen now.

I’ve had the iPP 10.5 since launch and have loved it. But I have tried the 2018 one and love the Redesign and especially how it handles the Pencil and I really want one. I usually like to get the newest model but I feel like I am really going to be waiting for very little this time.

i decided I want to try the larger iPad Pro 12.9 this time as well. I can get the one I want with 256gb for $950 right now.

if I did get it I would have 45 days to return it so if there is an October event I would Be able to return it.

Anyone else holding out for an October event with an iPP refresh but starting to think we are waiting for nothing?

 

[Dwalls90]

huh - weird - I just used it this morning on 2 different machines.
It's working great for being "dead".

Nice to be able to plug into the USB-A chargers I see weekly in "every hotel room I ever go to" also.

Same for the rental cars where USB-A is completely ubiquitous.

Depends on your definition of dead. When Apple removed CD drives from their notebooks years ago, that didn't necessarily mean CD's stopped being a usable format, but certainly signaled the beginning of it's downfall.

FWIW, My/other cars I've driven only have USB-C ports. Maybe they are newer models than what you're comparing to.

 

[randyhudson]

USB A is dead.

LOL. Check the lightning cable that comes with the iPhone 11s!

nice trolling

 

[PastaPrimav]

USB A is dead.

Interesting. I just went and checked every single car sold in America and every single charging port available in every single public place and to my surprise...they were all still USB-A, despite your claim.
[automerge]1570647783[/automerge]

Simple - Start with the highest priced new "hotness" that has the new keyboard everyone wants and capture lots of super high margin sales early on, before those people get a chance to see the lower priced options later on that would also net them the better keyboards.

This is precisely the Apple mantra.

The only way to get the new Apple keyboard for the rest of the year and first few months of next year will be to buy the $2700+ MacBook Pro.

They know exactly what they're doing. Anyone looking at a MacBook Pro vs. MacBook is going to have to seriously consider the vastly improved expensive model, and many will bite.

 

[turbineseaplane]

@PastaPrimav

Yep! You're all over it. Tie the new keyboard everyone is waiting for to the highest priced new laptop and reap the profits.

Apple is now, more than ever, a lemonade stand that methodically finds way after way to run their customers wallets through a roller squeegee.

We are truly in the golden age of having the "Ops Guy" in charge. It's not about the best products in class, but rather the brand and ethos pushing mega margins and extracting profit at every single little place they can find or devise.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Disappointed. I was hoping it would come out in October.

Same.
Was really hoping for that new MBP this month. Oh well. I can keep my 2016 model until June of next year. Still working fine, believe it or not.

 

[0-0]

so is Kuo saying no event and no new MacBook pro this month? The report is confusing.

 

[Billyk711]

Actually, what Ming Chi-Kuo said earlier was that a new iPad Pro would begin manufacturing late 2019/early 2020. So a release in early 2020 doesn’t actually disagree with what he said before for the iPad Pros at least. Here’s hoping for a release sooner rather than later. Perhaps Jan/Feb.

I wonder if Mark Gurman will update his prediction, since it was he who suggested October.

Very, very often. When it comes to predictions based on supply chain info, he’s the most accurate analyst on the planet. Not perfect of course, but excellent nonetheless, although he’s sometimes off on the timing or the exact details. On the flip side, he’ll often make predictions that others wouldn’t even know enough to predict. For example he’ll say a product will use a very specific technology that hasn’t been used before and then 1 year later we see it being used.

By the way, last year he said that the 6.1” iPhone will not have 3D Touch and that in 2019 maybe none of the line would have it. He was absolutely correct even though he made that prediction well over a year ago, and months before the 2018 XR came out, 1.5 years ago in April 2018 in fact.

so hard to believe financial analysts actually listen to this guy.

 

[The Game 161]

So no iPads in October then?

 

[Freida]

Hopefully the new scissor mechanism feels as close to the butterfly keyboard as possible - it terms of stability, touch, feel and responsiveness the butterfly keyboard is perfect, it's just reliability where it suffers. Trying to type on a pre-butterfly keyboard MacBook now feels very cheap and a huge downgrade. I'm hoping it'll at least be like the Magic Keyboard ones.

I hope you are not serious. The butterfly mechanism is clunky, noisy and overall downgrade. I have both and I will never say butterfly is better. The scissor is just far superior in comfort and typing in general. Its also very quiet unlike the butterfly. Overall, I'm glad they are going back to scissors as that was one proven and amazing design. I hope they won't kill the travel distance.

 

[jerryk]

I just don't see the use case for having the more advanced camera. Maybe Apple is just making this 3 lens + flash form factor camera module from now on. But, on an iPad, it really does not make a lot of sense.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Please have onboard 10Gb Ethernet with built in RJ45 connector. As an IT admin BUILTIN RJ45 very important. Walking around office with dongle hanging out in embarrassing...we’ll for me anyway.

Apple is not going to go back to a form factor as thick as the /Early 2011/Late 2011/Mid 2012 non-Retina MacBook Pro for this new 16" MacBook Pro, so your Ethernet port dreams are going to be for naught.

 

[jerryk]

I hope you are not serious. The butterfly mechanism is clunky, noisy and overall downgrade. I have both and I will never say butterfly is better. The scissor is just far superior in comfort and typing in general. Its also very quiet unlike the butterfly. Overall, I'm glad they are going back to scissors as that was one proven and amazing design. I hope they won't kill the travel distance.

I don't think this is the old scissor design from 2015 and earlier. Early posts from Kuo talked about glass fibers and other mechanisms. And unless they increase case depth, they could not use the earlier design. And we all know Apple is not going to make a thicker device.

 

[pmau]

So Apple uses Kuo to promise new products now?
The whole situation is really not my style anymore.

The hardware is still OK, but there is no longer a story behind the new product lineup.

What is special about the iPhone?
Why do I really need this Apple Watch?
Why do I need to wait for this new MacBook besides Apple fixing their design flaws?
What will a new iPad Pro deliver that is really new?

Will there be an Apple TV with more features. Caching my content properly, searching by date, tags, without ONLY guiding me to a store front.

I would buy an Apple TV update with better features (bluetooth audio streaming, Digital Audio, maybe even line level output.)

Right now it's really pointless to wait for Apple.

I'm waiting for a MacBook Pro since 2014 ...

 

[myrtlebee]

What makes you say the keyboards aren’t fixed? I see very few complaints about the 2019 keyboard, and they have been out for several months.

We can’t expect zero defects.....even the old scissor mechanisms would have occasional failures.

Also, there is the 4 year warranty as backup.

I've seen plenty of people report sticking or double-typing keys on the 2019s. I don't want their "warranty backup" - failure is close to inevitable with the butterfly keys and I don't want to be on edge about whether or not my keyboard's about to croak. I also don't like sending my items to be repaired because every time I have done so either Apple didn't fully repair the issue or they damaged my device further.

Apple clearly disagrees with you that they are fixed or else they wouldn't be going back to a scissor mechanism. People have claimed, like you, that they were fixed every butterfly iteration - but every time Apple has went back and tweaked them because they are NOT fixed, and they still aren't. I'll be waiting for the new scissor mechanism.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I've seen plenty of people report sticking or double-typing keys on the 2019s.

No question - I think Joanna Stern reported on her issues with the 2019 MBA for WSJ also, yeah?

 

[spopitanu]

Apple registered 5 new iPad models in Europe and they've only presented one since then . I think that we will see a new iPad pro in October

 

[Mainsail]

I've seen plenty of people report sticking or double-typing keys on the 2019s. I don't want their "warranty backup" - failure is close to inevitable with the butterfly keys and I don't want to be on edge about whether or not my keyboard's about to croak. I also don't like sending my items to be repaired because every time I have done so either Apple didn't fully repair the issue or they damaged my device further.

Apple clearly disagrees with you that they are fixed or else they wouldn't be going back to a scissor mechanism. People have claimed, like you, that they were fixed every butterfly iteration - but every time Apple has went back and tweaked them because they are NOT fixed, and they still aren't. I'll be waiting for the new scissor mechanism.

I hear you. There is no doubt that there were problems with the early butterfly keyboards. I just haven't seen many posts regarding problems with the 2019 Keyboard. Maybe I am missing something.

Also, there is no guarantee that Apple is going to move to a scissor mechanism for the MacBook model that I want, which is the MBA. There is no guarantee that a new scissor keyboard won't have problems too.

For me, the 4th gen seems to be more reliable than prior iterations. The 4 year warranty gives me some peace of mind. I could buy the MacBook I want now, or I could wait for a new keyboard that may never come. So, a couple of months ago, I went ahead and bought a 2019 MBA. It has been flawless. I am happy as a clam and glad I didn't wait.