Apple expected to launch item tracker AirTag and its first AR device in 2021

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the Cupertino-based tech giant is also close to launching its new AirPods

The iPhone 12 managed to capture 16 per cent of the 5G smartphone market in October, according to Counterpoint Research. Getty

Apple is expected to roll out its much awaited item tracker AirTag and first augmented reality device along with a slew of other products this year, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who closely follows the Cupertino-based company, said in a research note to clients.

Mr Kuo, an analyst at Hong Kong’s TF International Securities, also hinted that new AirPods will be launched in 2021.

News about the development of AirTag, a small circular disc that can help users track their luggage, wallets or keys, first emerged in 2019 but Apple has not officially revealed much information about the device.

AirTag can be attached to personal belongings and users receive regular notifications about the whereabouts of their items.

Apple is also reportedly working on an augmented and virtual reality headset – Apple Glasses – but the company is yet to make an official announcement.

The company – which had experienced supply chain disruptions due to the coronavirus – kickstarted its new launches last year after it brought the iPhone 12 series to the market.

Despite its late launch, the iPhone 12 became the world's best-selling 5G smartphone within two weeks of its global launch, surpassing Samsung and Huawei, which launched rival models in 2019.

The iPhone 12 captured 16 per cent of the 5G smartphone market in October, according to Singapore-based Counterpoint Research.

Last month, Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported that Apple plans to produce up to 96 million iPhones in the first half of 2021, a 30 per cent year-on-year increase compared with the same period last year.

The full-year forecast that Apple shared with its suppliers suggests it plans to build up to 230 million iPhones in 2021, including both old and new models, it added.