Mobile Devices

Apple to release two 5G iPhones next year

19 June 2019

After squashing its feud with chipmaker Qualcomm, Apple is poised to deliver two 5G iPhones in 2020, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst that covers the company for TF International Securities.

In 2020, Apple will debut 6.7 in and a 5.4 in iPhones that will both be 5G capable using Qualcomm’s 5G modems.

Apple recently settled its royal and licensing lawsuit with Qualcomm, signing a new deal with the chipmaker that included dropping all legal problems the companies had. Prior to this settlement, Apple planned on using Intel for 5G modems that wouldn’t be available until 2020. That led many to believe Apple wouldn’t even debut its first 5G smartphone in 2021.

Additionally, Apple will roll out a 6.1 in iPhone in 2020 that will not have 5G compatibility but will be less expensive, Kuo said. All three phones will sport organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays and all three iPhones will support 5G in 2021, the analyst said.

The report from Kuo that was obtained by CNBC said Apple is working on its own 5G chip, but it won’t be ready until 2022 or 2023. Until then, Apple will use the Qualcomm chips.

According to the report from Kuo, after Huawei received a blacklist from the U.S. government, Apple accelerated its strategy for 5G iPhones in hopes of capturing any fallout from the number two smartphone maker in the world. Huawei risks losing business from a number of U.S.-based companies as a result of the blacklist, including business from Micron, Qualcomm, Intel, Xilinx, Western Digital and Broadband as well as any future app support for Android phones after Google said it would no longer work with the company after the blacklist was issued.

If Apple can garner wins for its 5G iPhone, it may be able to capture increased market share outside the U.S., where the smartphone is dominant.

To contact the author of this article, email PBrown@globalspec.com


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