Apple to launch AirTags, premium headphones, wireless charger, and more soon

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Apple to launch AirTags, premium headphones, wireless charger, and more soon
Apple typically announces and releases most major new products in the second half of each year, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the company is going to break away from tradition in 2020 by introducing an extensive range of new products in the coming months.

Apple AirTag item tracking tags


Evidence that Apple was working on Tile-like item tracking tags was first uncovered in iOS 13 code months ago alongside the “AirTag” name. The company was largely expected to introduce them at an event or via a press release in late October, but neither of these things happened.

Ming-Chi Kuo now believes Apple is planning to announce the product during the first half of 2020, perhaps at the rumored March event or at WWDC 2020 in early June.

As for how they work, Kuo expects them to rely on the U1 Ultra Wideband chip included inside the iPhone 11 series, allowing users to track items with much more accuracy than permitted over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Premium Bluetooth headphones from Apple


Ming-Chi Kuo revealed little about Apple’s plans for the high-end Bluetooth headphones, but today certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard about headphones.

Way back in February 2018, Kuo himself revealed the company was working on a pair of headphones marketed under the Apple brand rather than Beats. They reportedly featured better sound quality and battery life than AirPods and were scheduled to debut in Q4 2018 alongside the iPhone XS. 

Later that year, in June, Bloombergcorroborated Kuo’s claims and revealed Apple was planning to position the over-ear headphones as a premium alternative to Beats. The announcement had reportedly been delayed until early 2019, too. 

Fast forward to one year ago and it emerged that, yet again, Apple had delayed the launch until the second half of 2019. Plans to incorporate active noise cancelation and always-on Siri were also mentioned. 

As we now know, this launch never happened, but today’s report by Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Apple is finally preparing to launch its premium headphones, albeit almost two years behind schedule. 

AirPower is making a comeback, sort of


Apple announced AirPower in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X and, despite not being ready at the time, promised to release it the following year. Overheating issues plagued the product and the company eventually shelved it entirely in February 2019.

According to today’s investor note, though, Apple never fully gave up on the wireless charger category. It’s been secretly working on a “small charging mat” that should power just one product at a time.

Presumably, the new accessory will work with the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods.

The 2020 iPad Pro series


Apple has been working on an updated iPad Pro lineup for months and today Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated claims about its nearing launch. 

The new tablets are expected to feature an upgraded A13X Bionic chipset on the inside and an advanced triple-camera setup on the back that incorporates an all-new 3D sensing system. The latter is apparently more powerful than Face ID and will help Apple push its AR ambitions.

The Apple iPhone 9

Replacing the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in late March looks set to be the iPhone 9. It will pair the former’s compact design with several iPhone 11 components.

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For a reported price tag of just $399, buyers should gain access to a 4.7-inch LCD screen on the front that’s paired with a Touch ID home button and extremely thick bezels. The rear, on the other hand, is expected to feature the iPhone 11’s main camera and support for wireless charging.

The Apple A13 Bionic is going to power the smartphone alongside 3GB of RAM.

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