Apple's 2020 iPhones rumored to have smaller notch, wider 5G antennas

AppleInsider

Apple is reportedly testing different methods to create a smaller Face ID notch for the 2020 iPhones, and is looking at a wider antenna to support 5G.

@BenGeskin" height="368" />
Source: @BenGeskin

A series of reports from Benjamin Geskin, a reliable source of data on the smartphone industry, say that Apple is testing different prototypes of its 2020 iPhones as it tries out new Face ID options. The options appear to be concerned with reducing the size of the notch, either in height or width.

Geskin claims on Twitter that there are various Face ID models being considered.

"Apple is testing a few Face ID prototypes with new optics," he writes, "some are smaller in width, some are narrower to fit the top bezel."

Geskin also says that Apple is revising the antennas on the 2020 iPhones in order to support the forthcoming 5G.

"2020 iPhone prototypes include wider antenna lines (>1mm) for 5G," he continues. "Instead of plastic lines it will use a new material (glass, ceramic or sapphire)."

While not specifying that this is for the 2020 model iPhones, Gaskin also reports that Apple is looking to abandon the Lightning port. However, rather than switching it to USB-C as previously expected, he says the eventual aim is to solely use wireless charging.

Apple long-term plan is to get rid of the Lightning port for the Wireless charging and data transfer (UWD technology - 480Mbps (USB 3.0) speed at 3 meters, 110Mbps at 10 meters) pic.twitter.com/w7jwgZrGD2

-- Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin)

October 22, 2019

Geskin has recently claimed that the 2020 iPhones may be able to fit the Face ID technology into the bezels instead of having a notch at all.

He said that one prototype had a 6.7-inch display that contained both Face ID and TrueDepth camera system within the top bezel. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also previously reported similar information.

Fatman

Apple, while you are removing the bezel, please bump screen resolution to 1080 on the iPhone11 successor!

ndirishfan1975

Fatman said:

Apple, while you are removing the bezel, please bump screen resolution to 1080 on the iPhone11 successor!

Why?? So there can be more pixels to push around that you physically won’t be able to see unless you hold the phone unnaturally close to your eyes?  If you want a better screen then ask for better max brightness and/or better contrast, support for HDR or something else that will actually make a difference when viewing the screen instead of a useless spec sheet number. 

ndirishfan1975

Can someone tell me what makes Gaskin a reliable source?

beowulfschmidt

Oh my gods!  Do you mean to tell me that I wasted my money on this iPhone 11 with its huge, unsightly, totally obtrusive notch when I could have waited one more year to get a fixed version?  Gods, Apple, why couldn't you get it right the first time!

Apple so out of touch with its users it's not funny.

/s

lkrupp

ndirishfan1975 said:

Can someone tell me what makes Gaskin a reliable source?

None of the rumormongers are reliable, period. It’s all hearsay, a cottage industry.

flydog

Fatman said:

Apple, while you are removing the bezel, please bump screen resolution to 1080 on the iPhone11 successor!

It’s highly unlikely that anyone from Apple has been dispatched to check Internet forums for product suggestions. 

flydog

Fatman said:

Apple, while you are removing the bezel, please bump screen resolution to 1080 on the iPhone11 successor!

It’s highly unlikely that anyone from Apple has been dispatched to check Internet forums for product suggestions. 

MplsP

Thank God! I can finally get rid of this Xs with it’s completely hideous notch! It’s made me the laughing stock of everyone I know and I get migraines every time I use it because the notch is so big that I can’t see anything else on the screen. I’ve been praying that the Apple gods would make a phone like Samsung’s with in-screen fingerprint detection that can be defeated with a screen protector, because it’s so much better to look good than to be good.

In all seriousness, though, my only complaint about the notch in my Xs is that the tabs on either side are a bit too narrow so you can’t see what percent the battery is at or if it’s connected to a VPN. If Apple can make the sensors smaller without compromising functionality, great, but don’t compromise the functionality just to make a smaller bezel.

edit: “iPhones may be able to fit the Face ID technology into the bezels instead of having a notch at all” - isn’t that what the original iPhone did? The top bezel was simply 7-8mm, thick enough to hold the speaker and noise canceling microphone. 

ravnorodom

Wow. Nice. Finally. I will hold on my iPhone X until 2020.

rwx9901

So, what they're saying is no fast charging since it's going to be wireless?  7W is the max right now.  They planning on going to 18W?

GeorgeBMac

flydog said:

Fatman said:

Apple, while you are removing the bezel, please bump screen resolution to 1080 on the iPhone11 successor!

It’s highly unlikely that anyone from Apple has been dispatched to check Internet forums for product suggestions. 

Actually, I would find it highly unlikely that Apple does not monitor various forums -- not just for product suggestions but information on how its products are fairing among real world users or potential users.   To do otherwise would be foolish and irresponsible.  Just because you have a better mouse trap doesn't mean you'll stay in business -- marketing always plays a major role.

GeorgeBMac

AppleInsider said:

...
While not specifying that this is for the 2020 model iPhones, Gaskin also reports that Apple is looking to abandon the Lightning port. However, rather than switching it to USB-C as previously expected, he says the eventual aim is to solely use wireless charging.

Apple long-term plan is to get rid of the Lightning port for the Wireless charging and data transfer (UWD technology - 480Mbps (USB 3.0) speed at 3 meters, 110Mbps at 10 meters) pic.twitter.com/w7jwgZrGD2

-- Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin)

October 22, 2019

I find this the most interesting part of the story:   It is clear that Apple wants to eliminate or at least minimize all opening into the phone to make it less prone to issues,water and dust / pocket lint. In my experience, the lightening port has replaced the headphone jack as a major point of failure (my iPhone has failed to charge twice in the last couple weeks because it the lightening port failed).   I would be happy to see it go (but then would have to figure out what to do with all these charging cords and how to charge it in my car while driving).

But, wouldn't this slow the charging rate and even eliminate fast charging from the 18w-30w chargers?

wood1208

Don't carried away. Thinner notch is possible but there is no way to embed all those components inside top bezel. Other approach is hide under screen if tech can make it happen.

MplsP

GeorgeBMac said:

AppleInsider said:

...
While not specifying that this is for the 2020 model iPhones, Gaskin also reports that Apple is looking to abandon the Lightning port. However, rather than switching it to USB-C as previously expected, he says the eventual aim is to solely use wireless charging.

Apple long-term plan is to get rid of the Lightning port for the Wireless charging and data transfer (UWD technology - 480Mbps (USB 3.0) speed at 3 meters, 110Mbps at 10 meters) pic.twitter.com/w7jwgZrGD2

-- Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin)

October 22, 2019

I find this the most interesting part of the story:   It is clear that Apple wants to eliminate or at least minimize all opening into the phone to make it less prone to issues,water and dust / pocket lint. In my experience, the lightening port has replaced the headphone jack as a major point of failure (my iPhone has failed to charge twice in the last couple weeks because it the lightening port failed).   I would be happy to see it go (but then would have to figure out what to do with all these charging cords and how to charge it in my car while driving).

But, wouldn't this slow the charging rate and even eliminate fast charging from the 18w-30w chargers?

 Check your lightning port for lint. IME, lint tends to collect at the bottom of the port and the tolerances are so tight that it only takes a small amount to make the plug fail to seat completely and fail to charge. I take a toothpick (or some other non-metal tool so it doesn’t damage the contacts) and scrape the lint from the bottom of the socket. 

I’ve seen many people touting the benefits of wireless, but wireless is inferior in virtually every aspect. I can’t see them eliminating it completely. 

Rayz2016

Apple won’t be testing prototype facial recognition for a phone they’re releasing next year. The model will be locked down but now. 

jdgaz

Please don’t eliminate the lightning port until I get a car that connects CarPlay wirelessly. 

simply258

The problem with putting the cameras at the edge is you won’t be able to use a case that protects the top. Essentially any case would have to look like an inverted Apple iPhone case with the top exposed.

GeorgeBMac

MplsP said:

GeorgeBMac said:

AppleInsider said:

...
While not specifying that this is for the 2020 model iPhones, Gaskin also reports that Apple is looking to abandon the Lightning port. However, rather than switching it to USB-C as previously expected, he says the eventual aim is to solely use wireless charging.

Apple long-term plan is to get rid of the Lightning port for the Wireless charging and data transfer (UWD technology - 480Mbps (USB 3.0) speed at 3 meters, 110Mbps at 10 meters) pic.twitter.com/w7jwgZrGD2

-- Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin)

October 22, 2019

I find this the most interesting part of the story:   It is clear that Apple wants to eliminate or at least minimize all opening into the phone to make it less prone to issues,water and dust / pocket lint. In my experience, the lightening port has replaced the headphone jack as a major point of failure (my iPhone has failed to charge twice in the last couple weeks because it the lightening port failed).   I would be happy to see it go (but then would have to figure out what to do with all these charging cords and how to charge it in my car while driving).

But, wouldn't this slow the charging rate and even eliminate fast charging from the 18w-30w chargers?

 Check your lightning port for lint. IME, lint tends to collect at the bottom of the port and the tolerances are so tight that it only takes a small amount to make the plug fail to seat completely and fail to charge. I take a toothpick (or some other non-metal tool so it doesn’t damage the contacts) and scrape the lint from the bottom of the socket. 

I’ve seen many people touting the benefits of wireless, but wireless is inferior in virtually every aspect. I can’t see them eliminating it completely. 

Thanks!  I will do that.

bobolicious

...can bluetooth compete with wifi/airplay or hard wired (DAC) for lossless audio quality...?

Is this more incentive to 'wean' Apple customers towards cyclical revenue producing (and arguably less sustainable) proprietary consumables such as battery driven AirPods vs independent audio(phile) quality wired headphones?  Was audio quality the primary zeitgeist of the former leadership, including the widely praised iPod Wolfson DAC...?

nadriel

Rumor doesn’t have to be based on truth, I can say that Apple is testing robot arms with specialized sensors for faceid with its 2020 iPhones in some of its prototypes and make a sketch of it. 

Rumors are not leaks. He’s just a random guy in the internet. And I find it weird that he’s touted as reliable source. He’s just saying what everyone already expects and wants. And what he’s dreamed up. We can all play the guessing game.