Apple to Release Five New iPhones in 2020, the First Launching Next Spring
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That prediction actually corroborates a recent unexpected report about Apple’s iPhone lineup in fall 2020. Additionally, Kuo also reiterated past predictions about a lower-cost iPhone set to be released in the spring.
Four New iPhones This Fall
Apple is reportedly planning to release four new iPhone models in the latter half of 2020, instead of three, Kuo wrote in a research note issued to investors on Thursday.
- That includes one 5.4-inch iPhone.
- Two 6.1-inch iPhones.
- And a single 6.7-inch iPhone.
The 5.4-inch and one of the 6.1-inch devices would sport a dual-lens rear camera setup, while the other 6.1-inch and the 6.7-inch device would be “Pro” iPhones with a triple-lens camera.
Next year, all four devices will be equipped with OLED displays, Kuo says. Past reports also suggest that the devices would have flatter metal edges like the iPhone 4.
This lines up perfectly with a previous supply chain report published by JPMorgan earlier this week and represents a pretty significant change to Apple’s fall lineup. But Kuo’s forecast does differ from the JPMorgan prediction in one key way: 5G connectivity.
JPMorgan’s report indicated that only the premium iPhones would support faster mmWave 5G connectivity, with the lower-cost models only being compatible with sub-6 GHz spectrum.
But in his new prediction, Kuo says he expects all four OLED iPhones will support mmWave 5G in markets like the U.S., U.K., Canada, Japan and Korea.
What that means is that support only for “slower” low-band 5G wouldn’t be dictated by price point, but instead by region. In areas with shallow 5G coverage, Apple could cut 5G support to reduce production costs.
iPhone SE 2
In addition to the four models released in the fall, Kuo also expanded on some of his predictions for the so-called iPhone SE 2 — a device that the JPMorgan note didn’t mention.
The iPhone SE 2, per Kuo’s previous reports, is expected to look like an iPhone 8 with a 4.7-inch display, thicker bezels and a Home button. It would pack some modern updates like an A13 chipset and 3GB of RAM, however.
Kuo adds that the device is expected to retain the single-lens camera setup of its predecessors. It isn’t clear whether the iPhone SE 2 will support any type of 5G connectivity. But based on its supposed $399 price point, it seems unlikely.
The iPhone SE 2 is expected to debut in the spring. And it would bring the total number of new iPhones released next year up to five.
What the 2020 Lineup Will Look Like
If Kuo and JPMorgan are accurate in their forecasts, then we can expect the 2020 iPhone lineup to look something like this:
- 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2 (LCD, No 5G)
- 5.4-inch iPhone 12 (OLED)
- 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Plus (OLED)
- 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro (OLED)
- 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max (OLED)
Of course, there are a lot of unknowns at this point, including the price of every device besides the iPhone SE 2.
