All three 2020 iPhone models expected to have 5G wireless connectivity

Posted:
in iPhone edited June 2020
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects a trio of iPhones in 2020, and revising a previous prediction, he now thinks that all three will have 5G, instead of just two of them.

The rear cameras on dummy models of Apple's expected new iPhones
The rear cameras on dummy models of Apple's expected new iPhones, with a similar design expected for 2020. Render by Benjamin Geskin


In a research note, Ming-Chi Kuo from TF Securities cites competition from 5G adoption in high-end Android phones, forcing the revision from Apple. As a result of the proliferation, Kuo believes that consumer sentiment will demand that all of the 2020 models have the technology.

What isn't yet certain is if Apple will release a 5G phone without mmWave technologies for some markets like China that only will support sub-6GHz networks. Kuo believes that "Apple and EMS who are currently focusing on developing and testing mmWave may not have enough development resources if Apple would like to develop the 5G iPhone, which will only support Sub-6GHz."

For 5G specifically, frequencies can be generally categorized into one of two groups -- low-frequency sub-6GHz bands, and higher-frequency 6GHz bands. The first low range consists of bands that are currently used for existing mobile network communications, as low as 600MHz and up to 2,600MHz, though it can also include "C-Bands" up to 4,700MHz.

The 6GHz band is referred to as mmWave in the US. It is the part of the 5G specification that delivers the fast speeds -- assuming that a handset is within the short range of a mmWave transmitter.

Rumors have suggested that Apple will use a smaller TrueDepth camera -- allowing it to shrink the notch on OLED screens -- plus a seven-piece lens system for the rear camera. A more questionable claim is that there could be a China-exclusive model that switches out Face ID for subscreen Touch ID.

A recent rumor suggests that the Taptic Engine responsible for all of the iPhone haptics will see a revision in 2019, and carried along to the 2020 iPhone.

It is generally believed that Apple will have three models, all of them OLED-based, in 5.4-, 6.1-, and 6.7-inch sizes. Kuo previously believed that the 6.1-inch unit would forego 5G support, relegating it to mid-tier status like 2018's iPhone XR
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    Apple will incorporate/release it when it’s ready and benefits their product line—not out of this ridiculous idea of “pressure” from competitors. That’s how they react. 
    dedgeckoSoliolsJordanf1
  • Reply 2 of 44
    TBH, I hope that Apple does not include MWave in their 5G phones until 2022 at the earliest.
    I am sure that there are lots of people out there just waiting to climb on the next 'lets sue Apple' bandwagon.
    There are lot of reports out there stating that MWave causes Cancer. I'd wait and let someone else take the sueballs first. Cancer is an emotive subject and not to be trivialised. If you have had it (like me with HCL) you know what I mean.

    Even in 2019 we still get the occassional story about 3G/4G phones causing brain cancer. Why chance it while the jury is still out OR at least give users the option of NOT enabling the MWave hardware in the phone.

    cornchip
  • Reply 3 of 44
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    If all 2020 iphones are 5G and OLED than that gives option of screen size vs pricing. Easier to make decision and purchase 2020 iPhone. Though 5G service additional cost could be a deterrent when I am perfectly fine with 4G LTE if consistently available.
    edited July 2019 curtis hannah
  • Reply 4 of 44
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    radarthekatseanj
  • Reply 5 of 44
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,693member
    wood1208 said:
    If all 2020 iphones are 5G and OLED than that gives option of screen size vs pricing. Easier to make decision and purchase 2020 iPhone. Though 5G service additional cost could be a deterrent when I am perfectly fine with 4G LTE if consistently available.
    Not just screen size and price but screen size + camera system + pricing.  It's only a guess but I wouldn't be surprised if only the premium iPhone models get the new time-of-flight laser camera system.
    applesnorangesradarthekat
  • Reply 6 of 44
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,693member
    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    I don't think Apple releasing a 5G iPhone starting September 2020 is too late at all.  If there is any negative for Apple, it's that more people may wait till next September to upgrade their current iPhones just for the 5G feature.
    MplsPCarnage
  • Reply 7 of 44
    Not sure how much of the USA will truly accommodate 5G with it's short range for a long time to come. So yes, there phones may handle it, but unless you are lucky enough to live in a covered area, what good is it.
    macky the macky
  • Reply 8 of 44
    bb-15bb-15 Posts: 283member
    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    Apple waits until technologies are more mature & can be widely introduced on their best selling phone models. 
    This way Apple can avoid the Galaxy Fold mess & the Note 7 (banned on planes) disaster. 
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 9 of 44
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    I don't think Apple releasing a 5G iPhone starting September 2020 is too late at all.  If there is any negative for Apple, it's that more people may wait till next September to upgrade their current iPhones just for the 5G feature.
    September 2020 sounds about right for 5G phones from Apple.  By then all mid tier and up Android phones will be 5G.  Apple will still be selling all the 4G models, so I don’t see a need for 3 new models.

    The iPhone XR (LCD/FaceID) will be good low end iPhone, with only “refurbished” below that, sold in the USA.  I think Apple wants to move to FaceID/AR phones as quickly as possible to get people on services like Apple Arcade.

    Apple’s biggest problem is high end.  I see value in OLED... but a better camera & faster processor & 5G?  Does anyone really “need” that?  I can see it on the iPads, but phones... not so much.  The phone market is really mature, which is why Apple is focusing on services...

    I expect a greatly shrunken “notch” so perhaps styling will drive new phone adoption.
    hypoluxaJaphey
  • Reply 10 of 44
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    Much as 5G hype making me think to upgrade 2020 iPhone, I am thinking to upgrade 2019 and than in 2021 or 2022 models. I am OK to ride 4G LTE for a while than buy 5G service when I don't have choice or the cost of service is similar to current 4G LTE.

    JapheyapplesnorangesWgkrueger
  • Reply 11 of 44
    5G...5G...5G...who cares?  Are things so bad with what we have right now that next gen cellular comms are worth all of the speculation and tech coverage?  In Canada, we are subject to such ridiculous data prices and caps...not sure I want cell companies investing more billions in bleeding edge tech just to have its customers pay for it all with even higher fees.
    MplsPcornchip
  • Reply 12 of 44
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    wood1208 said:
    Much as 5G hype making me think to upgrade 2020 iPhone, I am thinking to upgrade 2019 and than in 2021 or 2022 models. I am OK to ride 4G LTE for a while than buy 5G service when I don't have choice or the cost of service is similar to current 4G LTE.

    The biggest draw of 5G capable phones (at least initially) could be better reception.  Carriers will be spending a bundle building out towers and supporting the new frequencies.

    If there is a wireless plan that caps performance to 4G speeds, even though your running on a 5G network, that might be a great “value”.  

    Paying up for 5G speeds is probably a waste.  It will be interesting to see how carriers handle data caps, you could blow through 100GB of data at 5G speeds in a day...

    Bottom line, if you have a iPhone you’re happy with, waiting a year might make sense.  Especially, if reception isn’t the best in your area...
    radarthekat
  • Reply 13 of 44
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,833member
    mac_dog said:
    Apple will incorporate/release it when it’s ready and benefits their product line—not out of this ridiculous idea of “pressure” from competitors. That’s how they react. 
    Apples settlement with Qualcomm was done via this 5G pressure, if Apple believed that waiting till the technology was right, they would have waited for when/if Intel had a good competitor chip.

    I don’t think it is really any big surprise Apple now plans on going all 5G, considering the recent shifts in their menthods and the clear competition that is going to be there in a while.
    radarthekatGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 14 of 44
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    wood1208 said:
    Much as 5G hype making me think to upgrade 2020 iPhone, I am thinking to upgrade 2019 and than in 2021 or 2022 models. I am OK to ride 4G LTE for a while than buy 5G service when I don't have choice or the cost of service is similar to current 4G LTE.

    The biggest draw of 5G capable phones (at least initially) could be better reception.  Carriers will be spending a bundle building out towers and supporting the new frequencies.

    If there is a wireless plan that caps performance to 4G speeds, even though your running on a 5G network, that might be a great “value”.  

    Paying up for 5G speeds is probably a waste.  It will be interesting to see how carriers handle data caps, you could blow through 100GB of data at 5G speeds in a day...

    Bottom line, if you have a iPhone you’re happy with, waiting a year might make sense.  Especially, if reception isn’t the best in your area...
    Actually,  if you do research on 5G you will find that "better reception" is not necessarily true.  The reality is that 5G has trouble going through certain materials that 4G doesn't have.   5G may turn out to be the biggest marketing ploy perpetrated on the public in years.
    mattinozjcs2305
  • Reply 15 of 44
    jamesmcdjamesmcd Posts: 68member
    5G is already live where I am with two providers – the third will be by the end of the year or early 2020. A mate at work has the 5G Samsung and the speeds are very impressive. Can’t wait until Apple rolls it out.  
    muthuk_vanalingamGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 16 of 44
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    M68000 said:
    wood1208 said:
    Much as 5G hype making me think to upgrade 2020 iPhone, I am thinking to upgrade 2019 and than in 2021 or 2022 models. I am OK to ride 4G LTE for a while than buy 5G service when I don't have choice or the cost of service is similar to current 4G LTE.

    The biggest draw of 5G capable phones (at least initially) could be better reception.  Carriers will be spending a bundle building out towers and supporting the new frequencies.

    If there is a wireless plan that caps performance to 4G speeds, even though your running on a 5G network, that might be a great “value”.  

    Paying up for 5G speeds is probably a waste.  It will be interesting to see how carriers handle data caps, you could blow through 100GB of data at 5G speeds in a day...

    Bottom line, if you have a iPhone you’re happy with, waiting a year might make sense.  Especially, if reception isn’t the best in your area...
    Actually,  if you do research on 5G you will find that "better reception" is not necessarily true.  The reality is that 5G has trouble going through certain materials that 4G doesn't have.   5G may turn out to be the biggest marketing ploy perpetrated on the public in years.
    it depends what you're talking about. 5G includes both high frequency mm-wave transmission as well as changes in utilization of the lower frequencies. The mm-wave frequencies that are required for the high bandwidth claims has incredibly poor penetration (articles I've read have said that leaves on trees will be enough to block transmission.) On top of that, the cellular companies themselves have said that they don't ever see it extending beyond densely populated metropolitan areas. On top of that, the technical requirements for the antennae are not trivial either. Remember "you're holding it wrong?" That actually becomes true.

    As for the other portions of 5G, it's possible that they may give better reception. It's also possible that the infrastructure upgrades will yield improved 4G performance, and honestly, I can count on one hand the number of people I know who truly feel they need more than a good 4G signal. 

    Either way, 2020 is about right. It will be at least then before there is really any 5G coverage to speak of, and well beyond that before there is actually and true use for 5G.
    muthuk_vanalingamroundaboutnow
  • Reply 17 of 44
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member

    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    because they needed time to actually develop the phone? It does involve a bit more than just swapping out the chip.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 18 of 44
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,273member
    TBH, I hope that Apple does not include MWave in their 5G phones until 2022 at the earliest.
    I am sure that there are lots of people out there just waiting to climb on the next 'lets sue Apple' bandwagon.
    There are lot of reports out there stating that MWave causes Cancer.
    And these stories are bullshit. Show me a report from the CDC or sit down and research some legit news sources. You're aware that the frequencies used by MMWave are already in use for weather satellites, right?

    Even in 2019 we still get the occassional story about 3G/4G phones causing brain cancer. Why chance it while the jury is still out
    The jury is not out. This is also bullshit scaremongering by quack sources.

    MMWave is going to be very rare for the foreseeable future. If you believe that MMWave (which is a radio wave) causes cancer, then you must also believe that microwaves, radio/tv waves, cellular communication, speakers, bluetooth, ham radios and anything else that emits radio waves causes cancer as well. Apparently cancer was unknown until radio was invented ... :D

    So the good news is that you don't have to worry about it. Unless you live in the heart of a large major city, it's likely to be a half-decade or more before you're even using (any sort of) 5G, and even then 90 percent of the time it will be the sub-6GHz (non-MMWave), because that's the version that actually works the way LTE does, since it's using the same frequencies.

    If you're still scared of MMWave, just hide behind a door -- MMWave can't penetrate any obstacles (trees, rain, walls, etc).
    edited July 2019 MplsPradarthekatbeowulfschmidtGeorgeBMacroundaboutnow
  • Reply 19 of 44
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,273member
    HarriePW said:
    Not sure how much of the USA will truly accommodate 5G with it's short range for a long time to come. So yes, there phones may handle it, but unless you are lucky enough to live in a covered area, what good is it.
    Not your fault, but you've been misled about what "5G" is. AI did an excellent article on how "5G" is actually two technologies: (for want of a shorter explanation) one of them is a more-efficient version of LTE, and will co-exist using the current LTE frequencies. This will be faster than LTE but not much faster.

    The "Millimetre Wave" sort of 5G using much higher frequencies -- frequencies that have not been exploited for mass communication until now. It's waaaaaay faster, but extremely short range and prone to easy blocking by almost any sort of obstacle (even rain). This sort will mostly be available only in wide-open areas, like between the roofs of two nearby buildings for example.

    The aforementioned article if you'd like to see the information in detail: https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/05/01/what-is-5g-and-mmwave-and-when-will-you-be-able-to-realistically-use-it
    roundaboutnow
  • Reply 20 of 44
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    MplsP said:

    Well yeh, Duh!
    Why else would Apple have capitulated to Qualcomm but to produce a 5G phone?

    The only real questions is:   Why would they wait 14 months to release it?   Samsung, Huawei and others (as well as all the carriers) will be well into 5G by then,  If they sit on their butt and do nothing till September 2020 they will look real bad.

    They should release at least one 5G phone in the first part of 2020 - not wait till nearly 2021.
    because they needed time to actually develop the phone? It does involve a bit more than just swapping out the chip.
    I would have thought that Apple would have started testing an iPhone and an iPad Pro with the Qualcomm 5G chip as soon as it was available, regardless of any ongoing dispute.  I would laugh if Apple actually came out with an iPad Pro with 5G (has the big battery) or even a super secret iPhone XI Max 5G this year.  It would all come down to when this year’s product spec was finalised. Was it before or after the dispute was settled? 

    In in the long term, once Apple does its own 5G I would expect in an iPad Pro first so it doesnt have to worry about voice, data only as a first step.
    GeorgeBMac
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