All 2020 iPhones may be 5G-ready to better compete with Android rivals  

Long-term Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new set of predictions about the 2020 iPhones – all 2020 iPhones will seemingly be 5G-ready. Previously, Kuo had predicted that even though Apple seems right on schedule with its 5G plans, the next-generation connectivity standard will be limited to the higher-end models, that is iPhones equivalent to the current-generation iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. All 2020 iPhones will seemingly be 5G-ready out-of-the-box to better compete with lower-cost Android smartphones that will support 5G, according to Kuo’s latest predictions. 

“We now believe that all three new 2H20 iPhone models will support 5G for the following reasons. (1) Apple has more resource for developing the 5G iPhone after the acquisition of Intel baseband business. (2) We expect that the prices of 5G Android smartphones will decline to $249-349 USD in 2H20. We believe that 5G Android smartphones, which will be sold at $249-349 USD, will only support Sub-6GHz. But the key is that consumers will think that 5G is the necessary function in 2H20. Therefore, iPhone models which will be sold at higher prices have to support 5G for winning more subsidies from mobile operators and consumers' purchase intention. (3) Boosting 5G developments could benefit Apple's AR ecosystem.” 

Moreover, Kuo believes that all the three 2020 iPhones will be compatible with both the mmWave (for super-fast 5G) and the sub-6GHz (mid-bands and low-bands) spectrums.  

All 2020 iPhones are expected to pack 5G resources from Qualcomm but because Apple now also owns Intel’s smartphone modem business, it could use its talent pool to get back in the game – faster, that what everybody would have expected. Of course, a full-fledged in-house 5G modem will take years for Apple, but buying Intel’s smartphone modem business and reaching a settlement with Qualcomm, should ensure it isn’t too late to the 5G party.   

Kuo had previously predicted that the 2020 iPhones will all pack OLED panels and also there’s going to be a size revision in the case of the iPhone XS, XS Max successor phones – while the former will get smaller at 5.4-inch, the latter is set to get bigger at 6.7-inch. The iPhone XR successor will stay put at 6.1-inch. 

Kuo had also recently confirmed that the 2019 iPhone will support two-way wireless charging - similar to Samsung’s Power Share feature found inside the Galaxy S10 phones. They’ll all stick to LTE for now.  

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