Every 5G iPhone is on track to launch in Fall 2020; no signs of delay
Last week, Susquehanna analyst Mehdi Hosseini claimed Apple was planning a staggered iPhone 5G release timeline that’d see some models arrive in September 2020 and others in January 2021. But after consulting his own sources, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo disagrees.
Apple isn’t facing any delays this year
In a research note published this morning (via MacRumors), Kuo said that Apple is planning to release its entire 5G iPhone lineup during the second half of 2020. An exact date wasn’t provided, but the analyst in question believes the launch will take place in either late September or October.
Some smartphone companies have limited 5G development to sub-6GHz technology, while others have focused more on mmWave implementations. Apple, however, is reportedly working on both simultaneously and it seems as though things are progressing as scheduled.
The Cupertino giant is understood to be preparing four 5G-ready iPhones, although the availability of 5G technologies will vary by market. Kuo expects Apple to offer the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models with both sub-6GHz and mmWave tech in the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
In other countries where the networks aren’t as common, however, Apple may choose to disable 5G functionalities or offer a “shallow 5G penetration” to reduce production costs. Whether these changes will be limited to the cheaper iPhone 12 models remains to be seen, though.
Here’s what else can be expected from the iPhone 12 (Pro)
The 5G network support mentioned above will reportedly be accompanied by several important changes designed to help Apple better compete in an increasingly saturated market.
The existing iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max look set to be replaced by improved models that feature bigger 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays respectively. But thanks to a taller aspect ratio and slightly smaller bezels, the size of these devices shouldn’t be that different.
5G iPhone 12 Pro concept render
Apple is also planning a couple of successors to the extremely popular iPhone 11. The model we know today will be succeeded by the iPhone 12 Plus, which will feature a 6.1-inch OLED display, and a compact model that should boast a 5.4-inch OLED display.
It looks set to benefit from the same internal chipset but will likely include 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage instead. Nevertheless, battery capacity increases and reverse wireless charging are to be expected.
The dual-camera setup present on the iPhone 11 should be replaced by an upgraded version, although no extra sensors are to be expected despite the advancements from the competition.
The iPhone 9 (SE 2) will precede everything
Before any of this happens, Apple is expected to surprise the public with an upgraded iPhone 8 dubbed the iPhone 9. It’ll act as a spiritual successor to the iPhone SE and is on track to debut in March.
According to the latest rumors, it’ll feature a 4.7-inch LCD display paired with a Touch ID home button but no 3D Touch technology. Also part of the package should be the iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic paired with 3GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.